Chicken Little
by MadiSano
Summary: Sanosuke's got some problems. Okay, so he has a LOT of problems, mostly mental ones. When Sano claims that the sky is falling, is he telling the truth or simply hallucinating? How will this turn out happily, with Sano winning the fair Fox's heart? SM KK
1. The Sky Is Fallin'

_**MadiSano: Oh yes, you all had it coming! Chicken Little, Kenshin style! Rather, it should be called Rooster Little…but hey…technicality isn't THAT important. So enjoy my fanfiction I had such joy in writing!**_

CHICKEN LITTLE

Sagara Sanosuke was never a man who calmly reacted to anything. When a situation arose, it was either a) punch the livin' heck out of the person who caused it, b), punch the livin' heck out of the thing that resulted from the problem, or c) sulk a while before considering of how to punch his way out of the situation.

Being also a man who liked to fight, drink, irritate, and gamble; Sanosuke often had to take one of these three actions.

This is a tale of the worst crisis ever to impale Sanosuke's life.

One day, Sanosuke was simply lying around, being his usual lazy self. Stretched out beneath the sakura trees, he briefly wondered of when Kaoru was going to cook dinner. Not that he was looking forward to the taste of the meal; Kaoru rather killed her food than cooked it.

A pasty pink petal, among the many others, floated lazily down from its flower. Sanosuke followed the petal with his soft brown eyes, slowly going cross-eyed as the petal landed on his nose. With a brief wiggle, the petal slipped from his nose and floated to the grass.

"Better get to Jou-Chan's…" Sanosuke sighed to himself, slowly sitting up. Shaking his head briefly, he freed the entwined sakura petals from his hair, and they showered softly to the ground.

Suddenly, amid getting up, something large and octagon-shaped fell from above, and landed harshly atop Sanosuke's head.

Thank Kami that Sanosuke was, indeed, the most hardheaded man on the planet; for lest it was so, he would have died from the sheer impact of the odd-looking octagon.

Banishing the whistling stars that were flying rapidly around his head, Sanosuke looked warily down at where the object had landed.

It was blinking in several places; beeping and whirring softly. Frowning, Sanosuke bent over to pick up the thing, when it suddenly shimmered and disappeared.

"Uwaah!" Leaping backwards in alarm, Sanosuke assumed a battle stance, ready for the now invisible thingamabob to strike. He narrowed his eyes, swaying slightly from side to side; waiting.

Five minutes passed, until it became apparent that the suspicious thing had gone. Sanosuke nodded slightly, putting his hands on his hips; crediting himself for scaring the octagonal thingy away with his intimidating ferocity.

Beginning to walk to the road, Sanosuke was befuddled when he suddenly tripped over something and fell onto his face. Getting up in a hurry, he looked behind him just in time to see the octagon reappear and then shimmer out again.

Oh, so it was mocking him, eh? Thought it could outwit the great Zanza the Fight Merchant, hmm? Sanosuke had news for the evil thing.

Backing away, Sanosuke positioned himself, ready to spring. It would not escape him this time!

He waited. And waited. Until at last, Sanosuke cried out a ferocious war cry; and pounced where he had seen the object last time. His fingers closed around the imperceptible edges of the octagon, and Sano plucked the thing from the earth.

"Gotcha," he growled, observing the object carefully. _It still looks like the ground…why?_ He wondered, but no sooner than that did the octagon shimmer and disappear.

"Son of a—!" Flinging the mysterious object away in fright, it hit one of the sakura trees and landed at its base. Seconds later, the octagon glistened, and disappeared once more.

Sanosuke stared at where he had last seen the octagon land. For quite a while, he simply stood and stared in astonishment.

Until, after eons had passed, Sanosuke looked up into the sky, trying to figure out what to do next. The poor boy's eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat in terror.

There was an octagonal shape in the sky, cut out from the robin's egg blue heavens, like someone had taken a cookie-cutter and sliced out a piece of the sky.

Sanosuke stood gaping at the hole in the sky, as his brain slowly worked together the relationship between the hole in the sky and the octagonal thingy that took the appearance of whatever it leant against.

It all hit him at once, and Sanosuke immediately turned on his heel, beginning the worst freak-out session that he had ever suffered.

"_**T-T-THE SKY IS FALLING!"**_

****

Calm, peace-loving Himura Kenshin knew many worries of the world. And, as the protector the weak and the aid of the strong, it was up to Kenshin to solve as many of those worries as he could.

Sanosuke was Kenshin's best friend, and Kenshin never took anything that Sanosuke said lightly. Whatever Sano felt, Kenshin knew it was his problem, too. However, when it was Kenshin who had the issue, Sanosuke was always more than happy to punch out Kenshin's worries—which often made them worse. But it was the thought that counted.

Also, being Kenshin's 'strong right arm;' Sanosuke was always bold and brave enough to take on those who opposed Kenshin, but were unworthy to witness the awesome power of Hiten Mitsurugi.

Loyalty, boldness, and bravery were the characteristics that emblazoned Sanosuke Sagara as Kenshin's fearsome fighting partner.

But nothing, _nothing_ had readied the wanderer named Kenshin the day that his best friend came bulleting down the road, yelling Kenshin's name at the top of his bass voice.

"KENSHIN! KENSHIN!"

Nearly dropping the basket of laundry he was holding, Kenshin's eyes grew saucer-shaped as Sanosuke rapidly burst through the dojo gates. "Oro? Sano, what is it?"

"IN THE NAME OF KAMI, I SWEAR—THERE'S A—THERE'S A…"

Kenshin stared blankly at his friend as Sanosuke tried to catch his breath. He was drenched in sweat, and Sano's normally narrowed russet eyes were widened in trauma. Something, or someone, had definitely frightened the fighter immensely.

That worried Kenshin. He narrowed his violet eyes, and asked, "Sano, what happened?"

"K-Kenshin…" Sanosuke gasped, wild-eyed. "Aw, man…I swear…it fell outta the sky an' hit me in the head…though it was too smart fer me…then it went away…came back…I got it, tho'…it fell outta the sky, I'm tellin' ya…"

Kenshin was confused. "What fell out of the sky, Sano?"

"The SKY! Jeez, weren't ya listenin' to me?" Sanosuke snapped, looking irritated.

"The sky fell from the sky? Sano, you're not making sense," Kenshin said, trying to keep patience. "What're you trying to say?"

By now, Kaoru and Yahiko had joined the two men outside. They looked from the wanderer to the fighter, back and forth as Sanosuke babbled on about something plummeting from the heavens.

Until, at last, Sanosuke sputtered, "For the last time, I tell ya! THE SKY IS FALLIN'!"

There was a silence.

But, then—quite suddenly, all three of them burst out laughing. Sanosuke stared at his three friends in disbelief, as Yahiko clutched his sides and Kaoru fell to her knees, wiping away the tears accumulating in her eyes. Kenshin covered up his mouth with both hands, bending over and chuckling.

"What're you laughin' at?" Sanosuke said, sounding desperate. "I'm tellin' the truth! I was sittin' underneath the sakura trees when suddenly a hunk of the sky fell down and hit me in the head! There's even a lil' hole up there where the chunk came from! I'm _serious_!"

That only made them laugh harder.

Sanosuke seized tufts of his hair in fury, shaking his head in horror. Now, his friends had abandoned him, and wouldn't believe him! Turning on his heel, Sano fled the dojo, heading for the location of the shady octagon.

But, what if it wasn't there anymore? Then Kenshin and the gang would never believe him! They'd think he was crazy!

What was a Rooster to do?

Megumi was on her way to visit the dojo, walking calmly along the side of the road. She held a small drawstring bag in her hand, which contained money and small medicines for the go.

The sky was a deep, blazing blue, contrasting beautifully with the crimson of the departing cherry blossom trees. A river ran along nearby, gurgling and splashing its sapphire waters against the rocks that pierced its swelling surface. Cute, white birds perched in the trees, nearly blending in with the pale pink of the flowers.

Harmony, as Megumi viewed here, was something she never could hope to have. For years, the doctor had suffered insecurity, and the aching mold of pointlessness sitting in the pit of her stomach. That pointlessness, however, had been diminished by Kenshin's instructions to become a surgeon.

But a little place in Megumi's heart was still empty. Unfilled, empty as the smile on her face. Had Megumi ever really smiled? None of the Kenshin-gumi knew.

That little gap in Megumi's soul, was it ever to be filled—and if so, with what? This, too, is present in this fairytale.

Her black heels bounced up and down, up and down on the dirt path, in a rhythmic motion. _I should be there in a little bit_, Megumi reasoned. _I'm by the cherry blossoms, so…_

Suddenly, Megumi stopped dead in her tracks, still as a fox. Her cinnamon eyes were fixed on something darting through the sakura trees. _What's that?_ She wondered, growing apprehensive. Her hand tightened around her purse.

It was something tall. Fast, too. It was a multicolor of white, brown, and a bit of red as well…Megumi wanted to strangle Sanosuke when she realized whom it was.

Sneaking up to the trees, she swiftly hid behind one as Sanosuke darted around another tree, searching frantically for something. Megumi watched him carefully, wondering what could have upset the man so.

When she focused her ears, Megumi found that Sanosuke was mumbling quietly to himself.

"Aw, shoot…where is it…c'mon…I'll prove it…it really fell out of the sky…hit me on the head…It did…wasn't makin' it up…where is it!"

Megumi found this all very funny, that Sanosuke thought something had fallen from the sky, hitting him upon the cranium. Putting her hand to her lips and giggling softly, she waited until Sanosuke walked obliviously past her tree before pouncing.

Lightly grabbing his shoulders from behind, she cried, "Chicken Little!"

"UWAAAH!" Sanosuke tripped, seemingly over his own feet, and landed face-first on the ground. Megumi laughed loudly behind her hand, raising the other in a palm-outward position.

Sanosuke got to his feet, looking back at Megumi in embarrassment. "What's the matter with ya, woman!" he snarled, rubbing his nose, which had been injured during his fall.

"Nothing, Chicken Little," Megumi repeated, feeling suddenly very immature. But she couldn't help but add, "Better watch out, the sky's falling!" Megumi turned to leave, but paused when she saw Sanosuke's face turn ghostly white.

Pausing, Megumi turned to face him again. "What's the matter with you? Did Kaoru's food mutate your digestive system? That'll be expensive surgery."

Sanosuke swallowed, and then asked hoarsely, "How'd you know about…?"

"Oh? You mean Kaoru's fare really did mangle your system?" Megumi said, folding her arms. Unsurprisingly, Megumi found it very easy to believe the situation concerning Kaoru's toxic cooking.

The fighter shook his head, still looking weary. "No…about the sky…" he mumbled, motioning vaguely to the heavens.

"The sky? Falling?" Megumi chuckled. "Rooster, you really are a featherhead."

Sanosuke swelled in frustration. "I'm serious! I was sittin' here a while ago when a piece of the sky fell and hit me on the head! There's even a hole in the sky where the chunk used to be! I'm looking for the piece right now! Once I find it, I'll prove it to you!"

"Ohohohohoho!" Megumi laughed now, amused by the completely offended look on Sagara's face.

"_Don't laugh_!" Sanosuke hissed, looking indignant. "I swear—_the sky is fallin'_!"

Megumi laughed harder.

Growing impatient, Sanosuke seized Megumi's wrist, cutting off her laughter. "Come on! I'll show you the gap in the sky!" he said, dragging Megumi off.

"H-Hey—!" Megumi sputtered, protesting. "Let go of me, you Bird Head—you can't really be serious—there's no hole in…the…sky…" Megumi's voice drifted off, as Sagara led her underneath a particular sakura tree, pointing jerkily up into the heavens.

There was a hole in the sky.

Tiny; but surely a hole.

"_Kami-sama_," Megumi muttered, placing a thoughtful thumb and finger on her chin. "The sky _is_ falling..."

_MadiSano: Wahahaha! Guess what movie I saw today? LOL! Chicken Little was cute...and now look where it led me. "THE SKY IS FALLIN'!" Can't wait to write on._

_If you liked it, review, please! Ja ne! _


	2. The Vixen Helps Out

**_MadiSano: I'm back, in chapter two! I had even more fun with this chapter than the first! Hahaha! Enjoy!_**

CHICKEN LITTLE _(continued)_

There was a hole in the sky.

Tiny; but surely a hole.

"_Kami-sama_," Megumi muttered, placing a thoughtful thumb and finger on her chin. "The sky _is_ falling."

"I told you," Sanosuke said, giving her wrist a little irritated shake. "I told you the sky is falling! Never believe me when I say the sky is falling!"

Megumi stared up at the crevice in the heavens, slowly and constantly shaking her head. "This isn't possible…there's some error…it's inconceivable…"

It was silent for a bit, until Sanosuke said to Megumi, "Oi, Kitsune. You're hand's all sweaty."

Megumi then realized that she was, indeed, holding Sanosuke's hand. As though bitten, she withdrew her hand quite quickly, in shame.

Pretending nothing had happened, Sanosuke said, "Now you have to come back to the dojo with me and tell everyone that the sky's falling! I already tried tellin' Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko, but they wouldn't believe me!"

"No one did, when Chicken Little told them that the sky was falling," Megumi whispered, looking up at the sky once more.

Sanosuke frowned. "What is it with the Chicken Little thing?"

"Ironically, there's a fairy tail about a little chicken who told everyone that the sky was falling, but no one believed him," Megumi explained, and then glanced back up at the fissure in the clouds. "And now…"

Sanosuke nearly felt like crying. "Of all the things to be reincarnated as…"

"We must go and inform Sir Ken of this," Megumi said, turning on her heel, and beginning to continue to the Kamiya dojo. Instead, her foot caught on something and she fell splat on her face with a shriek.

"M-Megumi!" Sanosuke cried, stifling his giggles as he helped the lady doctor to her feet.

Face flushed crimson; Megumi proceeded to brush herself off without saying anything to Sanosuke. He rocked back and forth on the heels of his feet, unsure of what to do. For as long as Sanosuke had known Megumi, Megumi hadn't been the person to be clumsy. So, Sanosuke could understand of why she was embarrassed.

"Wonder what ya tripped over," Sanosuke mumbled, inspecting the place where Megumi had fallen. His shoe brushed against something, and, with a little kick; the octagonal piece of the sky appeared.

Megumi backed away, surprised. "Is that…?"

"Yeah," Sanosuke said, picking up the piece of the sky, no longer afraid of it. He only jumped slightly when it blended in with the surroundings; Megumi, however, leapt backwards with a loud gasp.

"Where'd it go?" she asked, startled.

Sanosuke allowed himself to chuckle. Megumi gave him an indignant look, demanded of why he was laughing.

"It blends in with whatever's behind it," Sanosuke explained, moving the sky shard a bit to the left, so Megumi could understand. "So that if a cloud moves from one piece to the other, it'll look natural. Ne?"

Megumi folded her arms, looking suspiciously at the slice of sky. "Then how does it rain, if the clouds are inside the panels?" she questioned, looking narrowly at Sanosuke.

There was a silence.

Sanosuke shrugged. "They have lil' buckets up there filled with water?" he tried, giving Megumi an unsure smile.

Megumi arched a sable brow. "I'm sure," she muttered sarcastically. "Then how do the little buckets get refilled?"

"Uhh…lil' blue elves fill them up every time it has'ta rain?"

"Then what are the clouds for?"

"Eating,"

Megumi blinked in confusion. "Eating?" she repeated.

Sanosuke nodded seriously. "It's not like the lil' blue elves can just waltz in'ta the market an' buy tofu, y'know."

Shaking her head in despair, Megumi said, "Never mind…but," looking up, she said, "We have proof to Sir Ken that the sky is, indeed, falling. Come with me to the dojo."

Beckoning for the rooster to follow, Megumi continued down the sakura path to the Kamiya Dojo.

_At the Kamiya Dojo..._

"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"

Peals of laughter could be heard inside the Kamiya Dojo, where Myoujin Yahiko and Kamiya Kaoru were dancing about in circles, both wearing red strips of cloth tied around their heads.

Yahiko struck a dramatic pose, plucking a piece of grass from the earth and sticking it halfway into his mouth, so the latter fraction hung out. "I swear, it fell outta the sky and hit me on the head! But my thick gel-saturated Rooster hair softened the blow and saved m'life! The sky is falling!"

Laughing hysterically, Kaoru also picked up a piece of grass and put it between her teeth, imitating Yahiko. "Yes, yes! The sky is falling! Yeeeee-hah!"

Yahiko leapt onto Kaoru's shoulders, and the teacher unsteadily hobbled around as her student yelled at the top of his lungs: "Cock-a-doodle-doo!"

They both fell to the earth, cackling insanely.

Kenshin sat on the porch, watching the lively duo's antics. He, also, was amused by Sanosuke's behavior; but had an amount of respect for the fighter that would not allow Kenshin to join in the jaunt. Besides; it wasn't of Kenshin's character to do so.

So, Kenshin contented himself with watching Yahiko and Kaoru continue.

"There was a guy with Chicken Hair,

And Sano was his name-o!

S-A-N-O!

S-A-N-O!

S-A-N-O!

And Sano was his name-o!"

Kaoru bowed as Yahiko clapped for the nifty lyrics of her song. (Though, he grimaced slightly—her singing wasn't as efficient.) In turn, Yahiko made up his own, which in fact was a bit cleverer than Kaoru's.

"Double, double, toil and trouble,  
Fishbone break and sake bubble  
Double, double, toil and trouble,

Something 'wicked' this way comes!

Squinty eyes and chicken hair,  
Enough to give ya quite a scare  
Rock-hard fist and softened heart,  
He was crazy from the start…

Something 'wicked' this way comes!"

Kaoru and Yahiko burst out laughing once more, but were interrupted when Kenshin yelped shrilly, "O-oro!"

Looking to the dojo gates, Kaoru and Yahiko were horrified to see Sanosuke standing stiffly in the doorway, red in the face with his arms folded. Takani Megumi stood beside him, covering her surprised mouth with a hand.

"S-Sanosuke!" Kaoru said, whipping the red bandanna from her forehead, and spitting out the shard of grass. "I…ah…um……"

Yahiko, failing to see the awkwardness of the situation, yelled, "Hey, Sanosuke! Guess what?"

"Mm?" Sanosuke growled, beginning to advance slowly. Megumi decided it was better to walk slowly behind him, in fear that Sanosuke might explode.

"THE SKY IS FALLING! _BWAHAHA_—"

**_POW._**

After leaving an unconscious Yahiko in the dust, Sanosuke let out a heavy sigh and cast his gaze over Kenshin and Kaoru. Frightened, Kaoru backed up nearer to Kenshin.

"Ahem." Sanosuke narrowed his chocolate eyes, as Megumi walked up to his side. "I was tellin' the truth 'bout the sky. It is fallin'—Megumi's seen it, too. Right, Fox? You saw the hole in the sky, didn't ya? The sky's fallin', just like I said, right?"

There was a small silence, until Megumi lowered her eyes to the ground, biting her lip.

"Well?" Sanosuke pestered eagerly.

Megumi was silent for a bit longer, fully aware that all eyes were upon her. Until at last, the vixen doctor looked up and said, "No."

Sanosuke's eyes widened, and in horror he shrieked, "WHAT?"

"Yes, the Rooster's been hallucinating," Megumi said, with unambiguous seriousness in her voice. "Rooster-Head has a very wild imagination that he should try to control; I suppose he doesn't want to be sent to the loony bin."

Jaw dropped, Sanosuke glowered at the doctor.

Kenshin and Kaoru sighed in union, looking relieved. "How can we help Sano?" Kaoru inquired Megumi.

"Well," Megumi said, putting her hands on her hips. "In his case, the rooster is suffering from dehydration. Too much sake, too little water. If we don't get some water into his system, he could become very sick. Possibly even die."

"B-But…" Sanosuke said, "The piece of the sky I gave to you…"

Megumi cleared her throat. "No such thing," she announced, narrowing her eyes. "You just thought you saw—"

"But I felt it!" Sanosuke yowled angrily. "You felt it! There was even the lil' hole up in the sky, and then you wanted to know how it rained—a-and then I said the lil' blue elves refilled buckets up in—"

Cutting him off, Megumi said to Kaoru and Kenshin, "As you can see, he's definitely been consuming a ridiculous amount of sake, and need professional h—"

"_I can't take this anymore_!" Sanosuke shouted, making all three of the people around him jump. He turned on Megumi, who unblinkingly shifted to meet his angry gaze. "You—you lying vixen! I—I can't believe that ya did that to me…! You know I…I mean…you…I…t-the sky…t-the sake…the…the...whole...STUPID...THING—! URAAH! I'm outta here!"

Turning on his heel and fleeing the dojo, Sanosuke disappeared.

A silence followed, until, Kaoru said surreptitiously to Megumi, "I think he likes you."

**_MadiSano: Lol! I love this fanfic. It's so weird...like me...but I like how I'm handling it. I think this just might be the first fanfic I've written without much complaint from myself. This is probably so because I haven't taken the time to seriously critisize my work...but that's YOUR JOB! REVIEW! PLEASE! Ja ne!_**


	3. Kenshin wasn't there to say it: Oro!

**_MadiSano: Here I am, again. This chapter is a bit more serious than the last two, but hey...More SanoMeg...I laughed a little at Megumi. You'll see why. Have fun!_**

CHICKEN LITTLE _(continued)_

"_I can't take this anymore_!" Sanosuke shouted, making all three of the people around him jump. He turned on Megumi, who unblinkingly shifted to meet his angry gaze. "You—you lying vixen! I—I can't believe that ya did that to me…! You know I…I mean…you…I…t-the sky…t-the sake…the…the whole...STUPID...THING—! URAAH! I'm outta here!"

Turning on his heel and fleeing the dojo, Sanosuke disappeared.

A silence followed, until, Kaoru said surreptitiously to Megumi, "I think he likes you."

Sanosuke flew down the dirt road, not caring where he went as long as he got there. To put it politely, he needed something to decapitate. His dust-ridden shoes pounded rhythmically on the path, carrying him far from the dojo into a meadow Sanosuke had never seen before.

"Stupid fox," Sanosuke hissed under his breath, pausing underneath a lone tree to catch his breath. "Traitor…augh…now I've got the whole dojo against me…"

His anger was taken over by an aching hurt in the center of his stomach. _Why did she lie like that? _he wondered, feeling like someone had wounded him. _I told her the truth, and she…aw, why do I care!_

Scowling and folding his arms, the former gangster leaned up against the trunk of the large tree. _Megumi's a backbiting vixen. What was wrong with me when I told her that the sky was falling? Of course, she'd take advantage of me! Stupid, stupid, baka tori-atama! _He scolded himself, clenching his teeth.

Brooding in his dark thoughts, Sanosuke looked up into the sky. The clouds were a dark gray, and the wind was picking up. Nothing like the morning had been.

Sanosuke clicked his tongue in irritation. _And of course, it's gonna rain. _

Closing his chocolate eyes, Sanosuke sighed. _I came all th'way out here, just to get soaked. _

Suddenly, a brief flicker of movement caught Sanosuke's eye. It had come from the branches of the tree above, and Sanosuke looked up cautiously, wondering what it could be.

Deciding that it would be better to take on a relaxed sham, Sanosuke put his hands behind his head, and leaned back against the tree again. A few moments passed by, with no activity.

And then—

"HYOOOHHH!"

Sanosuke stood up in a swiveling action, grabbing the attacking person by the ankle and whipping them upside-down, tearing the wooden sword from the small one's grasp. Sanosuke's captive wriggled and squirmed, yelling inanely.

"Yahiko?" Sanosuke said, surprised. "How did you catch up with me so quickly—?"

Abruptly, a smashing pain erupted in the joint where Sanosuke's neck and head came together, causing the fighter to fall forwards. Yahiko landed on his face, free. The boy scrambled to his feet, crying, "Kenshin!"

Sanosuke moaned, seeing steadily darkening flashes of light gleam before his eyes. He gripped the grass beneath him, unsuccessfully trying to get to his knees. "Ken…shin…?"

"I am sorry, Sano, but this is for your own good; that it is," came Kenshin's soft voice.

"Uhn…" was Sanosuke's lightheaded reply.

Sanosuke remained conscious just long enough to feel Kenshin fasten his wrists up behind his back.

Yahiko nervously watched Kenshin loop his arms under Sanosuke's, and with a nod, Kenshin signaled for Yahiko to lift the fighter's feet from the earth. Together, under the darkening skies, they carried an unconscious Rooster-Head all the way to the Oguni Clinic.

There, Megumi awaited her patient.

At first, the lady doctor was quite pleasant about the whole situation. But that changed when she opened her door to two sopping-wet boys, and one saturated Rooster.

"Get in here!" she hissed crossly, narrowing her eyes as the three entered the office. She looked disapprovingly at the puddles of water collecting on her floor, and switched her gaze to meet the two sheepish swordsmen.

"May Kami turn me to a fox if I won't have to treat all three of you for pneumonia," Megumi remarked, and motioned to the back room. "Drop him off on the futon in there. You can stay here if you'd like, Sir Ken."

"Arigatou, Megumi-dono; but Sessha is afraid we must get home to Kaoru-dono, that he is." Kenshin said, as he and Yahiko carried Sanosuke to the back room. "She often tends to worry."

Megumi smiled foxily, muttering to herself as the three disappeared. "Oh? And I wonder why the Raccoon is so worried about Sir Ken staying a while?"

Her chuckles were cut off when Kenshin and Yahiko appeared once more. "Won't you take an umbrella?" Megumi offered, motioning to a sunshade leaning in the corner.

Kenshin hesitated, but then bowed to Megumi and accepted the device. "Thank you, again, Megumi-dono—and please let us know how Sano is doing, soon?"

"Of course," Megumi smiled, but only Yahiko seemed to notice the evil glint in her cinnamon pupils.

Kenshin and the young trainee left after saying goodbye to the Fox.

Megumi sighed, running a hand through her sable hair. This was going to be the beginning of a _very_ long treatment.

Turning on her heel, and click-clacking to the back room, Megumi opened the door to reveal a cataleptic Rooster.

Approaching him with caution, Megumi ran her eyes over Sanosuke.

The fighter lie on his side, his wrists tied together with rope behind his clear-cut chest. Sanosuke's usually springy brunette hair was mussed from the heavy rain, hanging over his faded bandanna, and dangling awkwardly into his eyes. His white attire was dyed gray from wetness, and clung like Velcro to his body. Sanosuke's tight bandages were fraying around his chest and ankles. The black footwear that encased his toes was soaked right through with chilly water.

Plainly, Sanosuke was a sopping mess.

_He'll catch hypothermia if he doesn't get that cold water off him, _Megumi concluded. She then mentally cursed herself—she shouldn't have let Kenshin and Yahiko run out into the rain like that again! Even if the umbrella shielded them from the raindrops, the wind would chill them to the bone.

_Some doctor, _Megumi thought dryly, but then returned her focus back to Sanosuke.

Fitful shivers wracked the fist fighter's lean form, and panic seized Megumi. She pulled off one of his black shoes, watching in amazement as a fair amount of water dribbled from the heel and to the floor. The same event occurred with the other shoe, save for that a little orange fish flopped from the footwear.

In astonishment, Megumi delicately picked up the fish and put it into a glass of water nearby, naming it Sir Kin.

Megumi untied the rope, freeing Sanosuke's sore-looking wrists from the restraint. She rolled Sanosuke over onto his back, pulling his arms up in front of him. Megumi rubbed his wrists with a docile air to regulate circulation, but she couldn't hide the small redness working its way across her face.

_He looks so peaceful when he's sleeping, _thought Megumi, gazing at Sanosuke's closed eyes. His eyelashes stuck to the curve of his cheeks, dampened by the beads of rain gathering and dripping down his skin. His pale lips were parted slightly, meeting every few seconds when inhaling, making small noises of hissing air.

Megumi immediately reprimanded herself for staring, and continued her work. She relieved Sanosuke of his jacket with slight difficulty, and tossed the article to the floor. The unconscious man's bandanna and chest wrappings soon joined it.

Unsure of what to do next, Megumi stared nervously at her patient, who was stripped down to all but his pants. _There is no way in all of Hell that I am going any further_, Megumi thought stubbornly, glancing over at Sir Kin the fish. He stared at her blankly, waiting to see what the fox doc would do next.

"Genzai-sensei can do it," Megumi told Sir Kin, stubbornly turning on her heel to go fetch the other doctor, wherever he was. She paused at the doorway, and looked back at the shivering Sanosuke. _But can Sanosuke wait that long?_

A few moments of indecision frolicked through Megumi's mind, until the painful truth came to her: _No. I am a doctor and I'll do what's best for my patients. Sanosuke cannot remain in those wet clothes any longer without getting extremely sick, and it's my responsibility to take care of him. _

Reluctantly slinking back over to the side of the futon, Megumi again got down on her knees. A moment of silence followed, before Megumi (it'd be the lie of the century to say she wasn't shaking) began to untie Sanosuke's pants.

**_MadiSano: And yes, I did end it here. Gomen nasai! ...Stop giving me weird looks...Megumi IS a doctor. It's not like she hasn't seen anyone without their shorts. But Sanosuke seems to be a different case, ne? _> _I'm evil. Hate me! MWAHAHAHA! But if you say that you hate me in your reviews, I might not update anymore...ohohohoho. Dang, there's those fox ears...see ya in the next chapter!_**


	4. Fighting in the Rain

**_MadiSano: I'm back! Nothing much to say here except that...well...yeah...read and review, I suppose!_**

CHICKEN LITTLE _(continued)_

Reluctantly slinking back over to the side of the futon, Megumi again got down on her knees. A moment of silence followed, before Megumi (it'd be the lie of the century to say she wasn't shaking) began to untie Sanosuke's pants.

"Oi! What th'Hell do ya think you're doin'?"

Megumi nearly hit the ceiling in fright when she heard Sanosuke speak. Indeed, the fighter had opened his cloudy brown eyes and was now looking suspiciously at the doctor. "First ya make a fool outta me, hire Kenshin and Yahiko to kidnap me and drag me here—through the rain, it look's like—and now you're stealin' my clothes? Vixen!"

There was surprising anger in his voice. Megumi simply stared at him; Sanosuke glowered right back.

Trying to regain her dignity, Megumi replied, "I'm simply preventing you from contract hypothermia. Of course, a perverted Rooster wouldn't know the difference."

"Well, a Fox wouldn't know the diff'rence between a piece o'the sky and a figment of a Rooster's imagination, ne?" Sanosuke spat, narrowing his eyes in rage.

Megumi fell silent, standing and retrieving thick blankets from a shelf. "I did that for a reason," she said softly, turning around and giving Sanosuke a monotonous look.

"Oh, really?" growled the Rooster, "And that was…?"

Megumi clenched her jaw, unfolded the blankets and flinging them over Sanosuke. She aimed poorly; Sanosuke was covered from head to toe in the fabric. He had to wriggle out and push the blankets downwards with his feet so that he wasn't smothered.

By this time, Megumi had already pulled out a thermometer and jabbed it between Sanosuke's teeth. "There you go," Megumi said, with a rather sneering smile. "Best replacement for a fishbone. Shut up and keep it there for a while, yes?"

Sanosuke wasn't to be evaded. "Answer my question, Kitsune," he growled, with surprising firmness. While waiting for her to reply, Sanosuke played with the thermometer and tipped it upwards so that the little bulb at the end tapped his nose.

Megumi scowled. "I lied because I don't want to deal with the sky right now, okay? Even if we did happen to alert everyone that the sky is falling, there's nothing we can do. Nothing. It would just make more people miserable, Sanosuke, because the world's going to end! All because you got hit in the head by a falling chunk of cloud! _That's_ why I didn't tell Sir Ken, _that's_ why I've changed my mind about helping you. There's nothing that'll do except for ruin what peace Japan has."

Sanosuke continued tapping the bridge of his nose with the thermometer. "B'what if there is somethin' we can do, Kitsune?" he asked softly, amid the device in his mouth. "Somethin' we don't know about?"

"There isn't," Megumi insisted angrily. "The great Sagara Sanosuke can't stop the sky from falling!"

"He can't?" Sanosuke asked, smiling slightly.

Megumi slammed her palm down onto the hardwood floor, glaring at the idiot Rooster-Head. "No. Why, do you have something in mind?" she hissed, looking irate.

"No need t'get so upset, Fox," Sanosuke said, raising an eyebrow. "All's we gotta do is contact them lil' blue elves up there and ask 'em to fix the hole."

Megumi sighed, putting her hand over her eyes in exasperation. "You live in dreams, Sagara Sanosuke. Because of that, you'll never—" She stopped suddenly, stood, and turned on her heel to leave.

"I'll never what?" Sanosuke called after her, gnawing on his thermometer.

Megumi turned to glare at him angrily. "You'll never amount to _anything_." Megumi then slammed shut the door; causing Sir Kin and Sanosuke to visibly wince.

A little silence ensued, until Sanosuke casually asked the golden fish in the glass of water, "Where'd you come from, anyways?"

Sir Kin glared.

"Ya look like a mean lil' fish." Sanosuke remarked, cracking his neck.

Sir Ken raised a fishy brow.

"S'no wonder Megumi keeps ya as a pet. You keep her most hated patient from ever goin' t'sleep, ne?" commented Sanosuke, snuggling down into the futon.

Sir Ken grinned.

Eyes wide, Sanosuke took a double check to make sure that he really saw what he thought he did. _I'll be damned, _Sanosuke thought, shocked. _That fish is grinnin' at me._

Then Sir Kin began to chuckle.

Sanosuke made a frightened squeaking noise, eyes expanding in terror. Diving beneath the covers, Sanosuke made to hide from the evil, grinning, chortling goldfish. But when it became apparent that the fish was progressing into an evil cackle, Sanosuke screamed in such excessive panic that only a Rooster could perform:

"_**M-M-M-MEGUMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" **_

Megumi was inserting medicine inside a vaccination when she hard Sanosuke's scream. She nearly injected herself when she jumped, but managed to avoid it. Flinging down the shot and the medicine, the rest of her stuff on the table toppled over into one big mess.

"Oh—!" Megumi groaned, hesitating, before turning, and running to Sanosuke's room. _This had better be good!_

She found Sanosuke huddled under his blankets, trembling excessively. Megumi ripped the blankets from him, and snarled, "What? What? What is it?"

"T-The fish…" was his weak reply, pointing to Sir Kin.

Megumi looked to find Sir Kin glaring back at her with his usual, expressionless gaze. Turning back to Sanosuke, she asked, "What about the fish?"

"It…smiled at me…"

Moaning, Megumi's hands tightened into fists. It took all of her self-control not to smack Sanosuke to the oblivion, and so she said, grinding her teeth, "_You screamed like a banshee because a fish smiled at you_?"

"Well, yeah." Sanosuke said, frowning at her like Megumi was an idiot.

"YOU FOOL!" Megumi roared in his face. "You know _very well_ that fish DON'T _smile_! _You_—You're just doing this to _infuriate_ me! _Stop_ it! _Shut up_! Go to _sleep_!"

And with that, Miss Megumi stalked out of the room.

Sanosuke lie there for a few moments, stunned. He was quite shocked by Megumi's outburst, and decided that he'd better do something about it.

"I'd better leave," he mumbled. "I feel fine, now; so…"

Getting up, Sanosuke put on his sopping wet shoes and jacket. After a moment of listening to see if Megumi was nearby, Sanosuke scowled at Sir Kin and said to the fish, "I know you smirked at me, you double-crossing little…_thing_! Yer comin' with me, 'till I find out how to fix this mess."

Grabbing the fish's jar, Sanosuke leapt out the window in his room, into the freezing rain.

Megumi came into the room seconds after Sanosuke had jumped out his window. Spotting the tail of the white jacket slipping off the sill, Megumi rushed to the aperture, crying, "Sagara Sanosuke! What're you doing?"

"Leavin'!" Sanosuke replied, grinning at the doctor over his shoulder. "See ya, Fox!"

"Get back here!" Megumi howled. _Damn it, _she thought crossly. _Now, I'll have to go and get him! _

Megumi rushed out into the main room, grabbing her coat and an umbrella. Before racing out the door, Megumi saw the vaccination she had been working on minutes before. An idea formed in her mind, as a foxy smile spread across her lips.

"Hohohoho," Megumi mumbled, quickly inserting a certain liquid into the injection. She then put the needle into her purse, and, grabbing the umbrella, ran out the door.

It took a few minutes for Megumi to find Sanosuke's trail, but the footprints in the mud were clue enough. She hurried along, fully aware that the pelting rain would diminish the tracks soon.

At last, Sanosuke came in sight, strutting along in the rain like it was the sunniest day of the year. Megumi waited until she was about six feet behind him before yelling, "Chicken Little, get your sorry behind back here before I catch up and kick it!"

The fighter jumped in surprise, halting and turning around to find himself face-to-face with an enraged doctor. "Oi…Kitsune! Ya shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

Seizing his ear without comment, Megumi began dragging the howling, squirming Sanosuke back to the clinic.

"YAAAAAH! WHAT THE FLIP ARE YA DOIN' TO ME, LADY? LEGGO! YER HURTIN' ME! LEGGO!" Sanosuke yelled hysterically, twisting and writhing in Megumi's hold.

Megumi scowled, barking, "You darn well deserve it, and you know it. Shut up."

"LEGGO O'ME, OR I'LL DROP THE FISH!" Sanosuke snarled.

Megumi halted, spotting Sir Kin in his jar, captured securely in Sanosuke's hands. "What? You kidnapped my fish!" Megumi yelped. "Give him to me!"

In attempt to take back the kidnapped goldfish, Megumi released Sanosuke's ear and began grabbing at the jar. Sanosuke held it over his head where Megumi couldn't reach, smirking victoriously.

She hopped up and down, trying to seize Sir Kin. "Stop messing around, you stupid Rooster! Give me Sir Kin!"

"Ya named it, too!" Sanosuke chuckled. "Sir Kin, eh? Your dream boyfriend's a fish?"

"SHUT UP AND GIVE ME THE FISH!" Megumi snarled, closing her umbrella and slamming it over Sanosuke's head with amazing force. The _kenkaya_ blinked in surprise, accidentally dropping the jar.

"NO!" Megumi cried, diving forth and catching the fish in mid-fall.

"MEGUMI!" Sanosuke roared, eyes wide as he leapt to catch the plunging doctor. Unfortunately, the Rooster was unfamiliar with the rule of never trying to catch a fox in the rain when one's shoes are slick with mud. Amid catching Megumi, he slipped and fell flat on his face along with her.

In Megumi's mind, all seemed to go in slow motion as she fell face-first into the mud, grasping Sir Kin's jar firmly in her hands. A sickening squelch echoed in her ears when her torso hit the sludge, and Sanosuke's thunderous yell echoed seconds before his left arm looped around her waist to stop her. His feet fell out from beneath him, and in less than ten seconds—

Sanosuke had fallen right on top of her.

Megumi screamed, gripping Sir Kin's unbroken jar like it was the last solid, trustable thing on the planet. "**_SANOSUKE NO HENTAAAAAAAAAAAI_**!"

"Oops…" Sanosuke flushed, quickly getting off of the enraged doctor.

Without thinking, Megumi whirled around, in one swift motion, retrieved and stabbed Sanosuke in the shoulder with her vaccination she had put in her purse. Sanosuke howled in agony as Megumi pushed the medicine in with wicked savor.

"_**UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"**_

Wrenching the needle from Sanosuke's flesh, Megumi was about to make a victorious remark, when she realized that she was no longer holding Sir Kin's jar. "Sir Kin!" she cried, alarmed. "Sir Kin? Where's my fish!"

Turning around, Megumi was horrified to see her fish rolling away down the lane. "MY FISH!" she screamed, beginning to run after it.

However, before Megumi could begin the chase, Sanosuke grabbed her arms from behind, holding her back. "Let me go, you idiot!" Megumi snarled. "I've got to go save my fish!"

"What…did you stick me with?" Sanosuke panted, clutching his arm where he had been speared.

Megumi paused, replying, "Tranquilizer. I hope."

"WHAT?" Sanosuke shouted, horrified. "YOU STUCK ME WITH TRANQUILIZER, WOMAN?"

Scowling, Megumi said, "Are you deaf or what? That's what I just said! Now let me go, I have to save Sir Kin!"

"If I don't get back to the clinic, I'll fall over right here in the street!" Sanosuke objected. "Then you'll have to carry me back, and I don't see how that's possible! I weigh more than I look, y'know."

"Then run back to the clinic by yourself!" Megumi ordered. "You'd better be lying asleep on your futon when I get back, or I'll pluck your tail feathers, Chicken Little!"

She then took off after the amok fish in the jar, leaving Sanosuke in the mud.

"KITSUNE! W-WAIT!"

Sanosuke stood in the rain, slack-jawed as he watched the muddy doctor flee from his sight. _She's gone…_

Feeling his vision waver, Sanosuke turned around to stumble his way back to the not-so-far clinic.

MadiSano: Hehehehe...that was fun...I feel bad for Sanosuke, though...stuck with a needle with such evil force...(shudders)...actually, had he been stuck with tranquilizer he would have conked out immediately. Ja ne!


	5. Back to the Clinic!

**_MadiSano: Well, here's the latest chapter! I had no idea so many people would like this story. Maybe because of the SM? Probably! I warn you, though. Things are going to get a little weird from this point onward...by the next chapter, the 'sky falling' plot will come fully into action. I'm hoping, anyways..._**

**_Disclaimer: I.M.A.D.O.R.K...WHAT DO YOU MEAN, I'M A DORK?ISAID NOTHINGABOUT BEING A DORK! I.M.A.D.O.R.K simply stands for, 'I Miserably, Absolutely, Don't Own Rurouni Kenshin.' Geez, people..._**

CHICKEN LITTLE _(continued)_

She then took off after the amok fish in the jar, leaving Sanosuke in the mud.

"KITSUNE! W-WAIT!"

Sanosuke stood in the rain, slack-jawed as he watched the muddy doctor flee from his sight. _She's gone…_

Feeling his vision waver, Sanosuke turned around to stumble his way back to the not-so-far clinic.

Megumi raced frantically down the street, chasing after her stray fish in a jar. She was slowly gaining on Sir Kin. Megumi's shoes pounded fanatically against the road in an almost simultaneous fashion.

"Rrrgh!" Megumi snarled, as she tried to defeat the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that she should've stayed with Sanosuke. _He'll be fine by himself! The clinic wasn't that far away from where I last saw him. Sanosuke should at least make it through the front door._

Megumi was less than five feet from her lost fish. Sir Kin was rotating in circles inside the swirling waters of the jar, his mouth open in a silent scream. "Hang in there!" Megumi cried. "I'm coming!"

"Mmmrraaaah!" Megumi cried, taking a leap to seize the jar. She missed by inches; Sir Kin's jar hit a rock and went flying through the air. "NOOOOOO!"

And then, quite suddenly, was crushed to the ground by a blinking octagon fallen from the sky.

Megumi stood there silently, staring at the octagon at her feet. The evil, fish-killing piece of the sky. After a moment, Megumi sank to her knees, and gently pulled the octagon from the earth, careful not to cut herself on the shards of the jar.

Being a doctor, Megumi was used to gross sights. But the spectacle of a goldfish that had been recently squished to death by a falling piece of sky was something Megumi wasn't ready for.

Which was because, there was no fish.

"Where did my fish go…?" Megumi mumbled forlornly. "Sir Kin…"

And then she noticed something. There was a tiny, orange spot on the road where the jar had been crushed. Staring at it, Megumi perceived that it was completely round, and rather fuzzy-looking.

Reaching out to touch it, Megumi screamed when the little spot leaped into the air, and with a popping noise, became a furry little creature with three eyes.

"Ohhh…K-_Kami-sama_," Megumi gasped, eying the strange little thing.

The orange blob squeaked, sprouting four legs and beginning to waddle around excitedly. Megumi froze like ice (by the way, it was still raining) as the fuzzy jumped on her arm and crawled up near her shoulder.

Amid the frightening experience, Megumi found herself quietly wishing that she had gone back with Sanosuke to the clinic. _At least, then I would be safe—WHAT AM I THINKING? _

Megumi started in rage, causing the little fuzzy to squeal and jump upon her head. Megumi tilted her head upwards slightly, and the orange fuzz scrabbled near to her forehead. She stared at it, and it stared at her.

Then it giggled.

It was such a shrill, cute little noise that Megumi found herself chuckling. Daring to pick up the small fuzzy from her face, Megumi let it sit in her palm, shielding the fuzz from the rain with her other hand.

Shivering in the rain, Megumi got to her feet and made a dash to return for the clinic.

She completely forgot about Sir Kin.

Megumi walked into the Oguni Clinic, setting the orange fluff down on a sickbay bed. Telling it to stay there, Megumi walked down the hall to Sanosuke's room. Right before entering, Megumi noticed just how muddy she was.

Her kimono (_MadiSano: I'm not sure what the shirt she wears is called, so I'll just call her clothes a kimono to keep life easy._) was drenched, and her whole front was darkened with mud. Some of the sludge had slipped off, due to the rain, but Megumi looked at total mess.

Blushing slightly, Megumi withdrew her hand from the door and went to take a bath, and change. A while later, Megumi returned to Sanosuke's door, letting herself in.

The man she had dubbed Rooster lay silently on his futon, sprawled out on his futon in an unusual position of rest. Sanosuke lay on his stomach, his face covered up by his arms, fast asleep. His head was where his feet should be, and his feet near the pillow. With disgust, Megumi saw that he hadn't even bothered to take his muddy shoes off.

_Oh, wait…_ Megumi realized. _I injected him with tranquilizer. That's it…_ Looking at the open window, Megumi observed the mud dripping from the sill. _He came through the window. That's how he got in without falling asleep, first._

Sighing, Megumi took a cloth, and began cleaning up the mud from the walls and floor. _There's no use in complaining_, she reminded herself. _You brought it on yourself, and whining won't make the mud go away. _

Suddenly, there was a soft squeak from beside her.

Megumi looked to find the small orange fluff peering up at her. Smiling fondly at the curious creature, Megumi allowed it to crawl onto her arm and to her shoulder, where it monitored her progress of scouring the mud.

Just as Megumi finished cleaning the sludge, there was a low groan from the mud-sodden fighter on his mud-soiled futon.

The fluffy animal jumped and squealed as Megumi stood and put the dirty washcloth in the basket where she kept unclean clothes. The lady doctor then turned to watch Sanosuke as he groggily opened his eyes.

"Aw, Geez…" coughing, Sanosuke shifted tiredly.

Clearing her throat, Megumi spoke up. "You owe me a new futon, mister. The one you're lying on is saturated with mud so slick I doubt it'd be clean even if I soaked it for an entire week."

"Shut up, woman," came his bitter reply, as Sanosuke irritably rubbed his face, causing a dark smudge to appear under his nose and onto his cheek. He glowered furiously when Megumi started to laugh, but Sanosuke jumped visibly when he heard the squeaking chuckle of the fuzzy.

"Wha—what was that?" Sanosuke growled, sitting up and furiously looking about for the source of the noise. Upon spotting the fuzzy orange thing sitting on Megumi's shoulder, the fighter leapt to his feet and yelled, "M-Megumi! D-Don't move—there's an alien on ya! Stay still, an' I'll kill it!"

Immediately ceasing her laughter, Megumi turned sideways protectively. "You will most certainly not!" she cried. "This is my replacement for Sir Kin, whom _you_ KILLED! I don't need you to go and kill my new pet!"

"Megumi," Sanosuke said seriously, though he didn't look so serious since he had a mustache of mud. "You don't keep aliens as _pets_. Next thing you know, you'll _name_ it. And then you'll grow _attached_ to it. And then, right when you seriously believe that it's a harmless, _cute_ ball of fluff—it jumps at you and tears out your jugular."

The fuzzy gave an innocent squeak, as if asking, "Who? Me?"

Frowning, Megumi said, "I don't believe you. Snuggles-san wouldn't hurt me…he made me laugh."

_SNUGGLES-SAN? _Was the first thing that jammed its way into Sanosuke's brains. The second was, _That little lint ball made Megumi laugh when I can't even her to flipping SMILE? _A pang of irritation pounded in Sanosuke's veins, but he hid it with a sneer.

"Kitsune," Sanosuke began again, hoping to get Megumi to listen to him. "Keeping an alien as a pet is like me marrying Jou-Chan. _It doesn't work_."

As he had intended, Sanosuke's usage of a creepy simile caught Megumi's attention. _What? _Megumi thought, secretly alarmed. _Why would that even cross Sano's mind? What's more, why's he saying it to me? What would Sir Ken say if he heard that? If…_A thought entered Megumi's mind. _If I could get Kaoru to spend more time with Sanosuke, then Sir Ken would be all by himself…_

A creepy smile worked its way across Megumi's lips. A bead of sweat rolled down Sanosuke's cheek, carving a clean line through his smudge of mud. _Kami-sama. What is she thinking?_

Snuggles-san gave a nervous little peep.

"Tell you what," Megumi said, smirking. "Go and use the bath before the mud hardens, and put your clothes in this—" she handed him the laundry basket, "—by then, I'll have a new futon for you. There's some extra clothes in the hallway closet that you can borrow. Got it?"

Before Sanosuke could even reply, Megumi dashed out of the room. Snuggles-san cried out shrilly, hanging onto her shoulder urgently.

Sanosuke stood silently for a moment. _I wonder what she was so excited about…_

_A little while later, at the Oguni Clinic..._

Megumi's hands had smudges of ink on the fingers. Amid her excitement, she had written too fast while writing down one of the props for her plan. Her writing had been smaller and less neat than it usually was—as Megumi had intended, it looked nothing like hers. Unmistakably, like a man's.

Megumi paused, reading her note mentally.

_To the one who makes my day with but a smile…_

_I watch you each day with pride of your strength and beauty…your precision and amazing skill of what you do each day. What I'd do to just hold your hand and whisper to your ear, but I know your secrecy…meet me behind the Akabeko tomorrow at dusk. _

_Your secret admirer, ne? _

Smirking, Megumi folded up the note and set it on the table. _I know it's rather flowery to be Sanosuke's_, she thought, _but it's not like Kaoru will guess right off who it is. _

Looking up at Snuggles-_san_, who was observing her false love note, Megumi said, "That'll have to do."

Snuggles-_san_ merely squeaked, crawling onto her shoulder once more.

Then standing, Megumi grabbed a spare futon, and went off with a towel to replace Sanosuke's muddy one. When the task was done, she replaced the blankets and such, humming happily to herself.

Sanosuke stood apprehensively on the other side of his door, watching Megumi as she zipped around the room, wiping off the last of the mud.

_Why is she so happy? _Sanosuke wondered, pulling away from the cracked door and walking down the hallway.

He was wearing a navy gi and sable pants, Sanosuke's replaced chest wraps peeked out slightly from his shirt. The attire was almost nothing like his usual jacket and short pants, but Sanosuke silenced his discomfort.

Sanosuke made his way into the main room curiously, seeing that the light was on. _What was Fox doing in here so late?_ he queried, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Looking casually down onto her desk, Sanosuke's attention was immediately seized by a lone piece of paper, folded up like it wasn't to be read by random eyes. Curiosity spiked his interest, and, being the nosy little Rooster he was, Sanosuke picked the note up to read.

Eyes growing wider and wider as his chocolate orbs flew over the words, Sanosuke felt his hair stand on end. (This was complicated, since Sanosuke's hair always stood on end.)

Slamming the note onto the table, Sanosuke twitched with worry mixed with anger. _Someone's ogling my Fox! _he realized, despite himself. _Who the h—when I get my hands around his neck, I'll—! _

Thus, his thoughts continued with very unpleasant notions that I'm sure you wouldn't take joy in reading.

Storming out back into the hallway, Sanosuke made his way to his bedroom, opening the door.

Megumi looked up, her previously contented expression muddled by slight annoyance. "Took you long enough," she growled, standing up straight. "Though, I'm not surprised…with all that mud on you, I'm surprised you didn't slip, sink to the bottom of the bath, and drown."

_Now why is she being mean?_ Sanosuke's thoughts shrieked. _Why? Why? WHY? I haven't even said anything snotty to her, and…and…and...Idon'tunderstandwhyIcan'tjustfreakingtellherthatshe'shotandIwannagooutwithherand— _

"ARRGH! WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH HER?"

_Oops. I said that out loud_, Sanosuke realized with a blush.

Megumi and Snuggles-_san_ stared at the Rooster-Headed fighter, quite aware of his flushed face and frustration. The only problem was that Megumi couldn't understand why Sanosuke had exploded.

"Sanosuke?" Megumi said, unsure of what to do.

He simply stood there, staring fixedly at the ground. "Ano…I think…I think I need to go to sleep, Megumi. I'm not feeling the best."

Megumi stared at Sanosuke a moment longer, her brow curved in a concerned frown. _What's wrong with him? _She wondered. _He's so serious all of a sudden, after freaking out for no apparent reason…_

Taking a few steps up to the fighter, she placed her palm on his forehead, and felt her own with her other hand, checking his temperature.

"I don't got a fever!" Sanosuke snapped, pushing her hand away.

"Then stop acting so weird!" Megumi cried, and Snuggles-san cheeped in union.

Glaring not at Megumi but the fluffy orange alien sitting on her shoulder, Sanosuke asked pointedly, "And where is that—that—that _THING_ stayin' tonight?"

"Well, most certainly not in a cage," Megumi snorted, frowning.

She brushed past the fighter, but she froze when he asked, "What happened to the fish?"

Megumi turned around angrily to meet the curious gaze of Sanosuke. "Sir Kin was…well…he, ah…fell down into a river. Yes. I couldn't reach him."

"Lie," Sanosuke accused.

Glowering, Megumi barked, "Why would you care? It's your fault!"

"There's just the wee slightest bitty chance that might be why I wanna know," Sanosuke replied, raising an eyebrow.

Clenching her fists, Megumi drew herself up to full height and angrily jabbed Sanosuke in the chest. "He was squished to death by another damned falling piece of the sky, _okay_! That's when I found Snuggles-san!"

Sanosuke simply blinked in surprise, commenting, "Okay…that's…nice. Didn't you find his body…?"

Megumi fell silent for a moment, and then said tonelessly, "No."

"Well, it couldn't justa disappeared," Sanosuke said dryly.

"No kidding, _baka_!" Megumi snarled. "I don't know, okay? He just—okay, so he did disappear! I have no idea what happened to Sir Kin."

Sanosuke smirked, folding his arms. Megumi restrained herself from slapping him, and said icily, "What are _you_ smiling about?"

"Oh, nothin'," Sanosuke said. _She is sorta pretty when she gets all mad like that…_

Megumi huffed angrily, turning about on her heel and storming out of the room. Snuggles-san cheeped nervously, turning about to give Sanosuke an uncertain look with his three eyes. Then the door shut with a loud _KWAM!_

"Hehehe…" Sanosuke chuckled, stretching. Immediate worry crossed his mind, however, when the kenkaya began to think about the note he had found on Megumi's desk.

**_MadiSano: Aww, poor Sano! Witchy Miss Fox doesn't seem to understand she's got an admirer, herself. But will Megumi's matchmaking plot work out? ...I'll get going on the next chapter, and you should find out for yourself in a few days! Yaaaay! Review, please, and tell me your thoughts._**

**_By all means, make your reviews as long as you want. I like reviews. Like money, I like reviews. I like reviews a lot. So review. Please? Please? Mooooove yer lil' cursor dooooown to the lil' button in the lower lefthand coooorner of the screeeeeen, and click the goooooo button, and--YES! YOU GOTS IT! _**

**_Ano...thanks for reading. See ya in a bit! Ja ne!_**


	6. What are we going to do with these two?

**_MadiSano: This chapter was fun to write. Not exactly as much humor in it, but more SM and a bit of KK. Okay, quite a lot of SM and a itty-bit of KK. That's the truth. But...well...(sigh) my story's getting flipping complicated, and this chapter is HUGE! GRR! (bangs head on computer desk) BAKA AHOU! Now I sound like Saitou. Must...regulate... sugar level... Orooooo..._**

CHICKEN LITTLE _(continued)_

Megumi huffed angrily, turning about on her heel and storming out of the room. Snuggles-san cheeped nervously, turning about to give Sanosuke an uncertain look with his three eyes. Then the door shut with a loud _KWAM!_

"Hehehe…" Sanosuke chuckled, stretching. Immediate worry crossed his mind, however, when the kenkaya began to think about the note he had found on Megumi's desk.

_At the Kamiya Dojo…_

Kaoru looked outside, observing the rainfall. Sighing, she turned away and walked to her room.

_Kenshin and Yahiko must be asleep by now, _thought Kaoru. _I wonder how Megumi-san is dealing with Sanosuke?_ _I'm worried about those two…should I go over tomorrow and—_

_**THUCK.**_

Kaoru jumped, wide-eyed at the loud noise. She spun around on her heel, racing towards the door where she could perceive what had made the ominous noise.

Apparently, Kenshin had also heard the noise. He had come from his room with his reversed-blade in hand, looking alert. When Kenshin saw Kaoru, he said in his usual concerned voice, "Kaoru-dono? Is everything all right?"

Pausing, Kaoru replied, "I don't know. I…I thought I had heard something outside…"

Kenshin took the brave steps to the door, and slid it open. Time seem to freeze. Everything went silent, as Kenshin viewed the yard with his narrowed violet eyes, and his impenetrable way of sensing presences.

"There is nothing, Miss Kaoru," Kenshin said at last, blinking back into his usual soft look. He turned to face Kaoru, who had been peeking out into the night behind his shoulder.

Giving her his usual oblivious, scrunched-up-eyes grin, Kenshin said cheerfully, "We should probably go back to sleep, _de gozaru yo_! Tomorrow, Yahiko will need to continue his training, and he can't do that with a tired _sensei_, that he most certainly cannot!"

Kenshin opened his eyes in surprise, finding that Kaoru was still staring out in the night. "Oro?" said Kenshin; turning about to find what Kaoru was gazing so fixedly at.

A flash of bright, green light blinding them both, and when it had died down, Kaoru found herself clutching desperately to Kenshin's sleeve. "K-Kenshin!" she cried, as a giant, blinking octagon steadily floated from its' place in the night sky, sinking until it hovered about ten feet from the lawn.

Both Japanese watched open-mouthed as metal pillars shot out from the underside of the piece of the sky, supporting it as it settled in their backyard. With a clatter, the thingamabob landed.

"Oro!" Kenshin squeaked, completely stunned.

Kaoru became frightened, holding all the tighter onto the oblivious rurouni's shoulder.

Suddenly, Kenshin tensed up as a ramp extended from the odd ship. Grabbing Kaoru and pushing her gently to the ground, Kenshin ducked as well and closed the door until only a slit was left to see out of.

"K-Kenshin," Kaoru whispered again, but Kenshin silenced her quietly.

"Hush, Miss Kaoru," said he, and they both turned to look out the crack just in time to see two tall, metallic beings step out from the octagon-shaped, flying sky-piece, and descend down the incline.

Kaoru gasped; what were these things? Unconsciously holding onto Kenshin, Kaoru huddled closer to the floor. Kenshin failed to notice; his eyes were frozen on the activity outside.

The metallic beings paused on the lawn, and after a moment; they strutted away and out of sight. Kenshin made to get up, but found that Kaoru was clutching to his sleeve in anxiety.

Smiling, Kenshin unclasped Kaoru's fingers from his _gi_, and said softly, "Why don't you stay here, Kaoru-_dono_? Go back to bed, _hai_?"

"Are you crazy?" Kaoru hissed, despite herself. "After seeing some weird aliens march out of a flying piece of the sky? Sanosuke was right! We should've listened to him…we have to get to the clinic and warn them!"

Kenshin sighed softly, unsure of what to do. His specialty was swordsmanship and making people smile, not defending the planet from intruding sky-crafts and aliens.

"This unworthy one cannot ask Miss Kaoru to go with him," Kenshin said softly, scratching the back of his scarlet head.

Hesitating, Kaoru said, "Kenshin…wherever you go, I'll go. I'm not afraid, okay?"

Smiling in his warm and fuzzy way, Kenshin replied, "Only if you are sure, Kaoru-_dono_. But you must promise to stay close to _Sessha_, that you must…this one doesn't know what he would do if something happened to Miss Kaoru."

Blushing, Kaoru stood with Kenshin. Taking in a deep breath, Kenshin opened the door, and began walking across the lawn to the spacecraft. Kaoru inched her way behind him, failing to hide her nervousness.

She gasped when she saw Kenshin ascend the ramp, to the circular opening in the center of the disk. "W-Where are you going?" Kaoru cried; seconds later ashamed at her fright.

Turning about to look as Kaoru, Kenshin said politely, "Sessha is going into the craft to investigate. Maybe it is best that Miss Kaoru stays in the dojo, where it is safer?"

"N-No, Kenshin…" Kaoru stammered, scuttling to his side in embarrassment. "I'm sorry…I'm coming, too."

"Okay," Kenshin said, smiling softly. Looking up thoughtfully at the strange door, Kenshin instinctively pressed a button he found there.

The door opened, and with amazing force, sucked both Kaoru and Kenshin up into the spacecraft.

"ORO—!"

"KENSHIN—!"

_At the Oguni Clinic…_

"Heeeeey, Fox!"

"_WHAT?_" Megumi turned angrily around on her heel to face the exasperating Sanosuke; her cinnamon eyes alight with agitation. Snuggles-san, who was perched still on her shoulder, yelped in fear of falling.

For the last fifteen minutes, Megumi had been trying to get to her room to go to sleep. However, before she could ever reach her bedroom, Sanosuke would think up something to bother her about so to keep her awake. Apparently, he wasn't tired at all.

Sanosuke scuffed the heel of his foot on the floor. "I'm thirsty."

"You just got a glass of water three minutes ago!" Megumi cried, scrunching her fists and unclenching them anxiously.

He didn't seem perturbed. "Yeah, well, I drank it all."

Megumi scowled, hissing, "Then go get it yourself! I'm going to bed!"

"But I'm sick, remember?"

"SANOSUKE—!" Megumi yelled, giving him a blood-curdling look that even the Hitokiri Battousai would shrink from. Snuggles-san squealed in terror.

"Okay, okay! I'm goin'…geez, woman…"

Megumi sighed as the fighter shuffled back to his room. _He is unspeakable!_ she thought angrily, turning on her heel to once more attempt to attain her chamber. _How does Kaoru ever put up with that insufferable man!_

Megumi's fingertips had barely brushed her door when Sanosuke's spiky head peered around the corner, "Hey, _Kitsune_!" he called, making Megumi stiffen with suppressed rage.

That rage didn't stay suppressed. "_WHAT DO YOU WANT, ALREADY!_" Megumi screamed, turning again to face the inquisitive teen. Snuggles-san went cross-eyed (rather, all three of his eyes looked at the center of his face, but you get the point), and he let out another shrill chirp.

Sanosuke gave her a lopsided smile. "Ano…I was wondering, do you have a boyfriend?"

Megumi's face flushed scarlet, and she reached for the nearest thing she could find—which happened to be another umbrella—and hurled it like a spear at Sanosuke's head.

"UWAAH—!" Sanosuke yelped, barely dodging the sunshade.

Megumi pointed at him like she meant to stab him with the simple gesture. "GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM AND STAY THERE, BEFORE I FREAKING KILL YOU!"

"UNLESS IT WAS MY IMAGINATION, YOU JUST TRIED TO!" Sanosuke shouted, blushing as well.

Megumi yelled in reply, "I AM _SO_ TAKING YOU BACK TO THE DOJO TOMORROW! I CAN'T STAND THE SIGHT OF YOU!"

Her words bit, but Sanosuke simply returned the spite. "FINE! KAORU'S COOKING ISN'T HALF AS BAD AS HANGING AROUND AN EVIL VIXEN LIKE YOU!"

Megumi's face contorted in rage, but before she could screamed back, someone knocked at the door. She walked down the hall to answer it, passing Sanosuke without granting him so much as a glance. Megumi set Snuggles-san down on a table so that the person would not see him, and then walked up to the entryway.

Opening the door, Megumi found that it was one of the neighbors.

"Excuse me, miss, but would you and your…friend…please keep your voices down? Though it's very interesting to listen to you scream at one another, I have work tomorrow, and can't afford to spend my night listening in on your relationship problems."

Flushing, Megumi bowed. "I'm sorry. I'll keep it—I mean, him—under better control."

"Thank you."

Megumi shut the door, turning around to face Sanosuke. The fighter had never seen Megumi with the yellow eyes of a killer, and he wished it had stayed that way.

"_Ano…Kitsune…_" Sanosuke smiled in embarrassment. Unsure of what to say, he shrugged and said, "It, ah, coulda been worse, ne?"

Megumi retrieved Snuggles-san, placing the small alien on her shoulder where he often sat.

Then marching up to the tall man, Megumi angrily grabbed Sanosuke by the ear and dragged him roughly to his room. Ignoring the pained yowls, Megumi snarled, "I am so _sick_ of your _attitude_! What in the heck is the matter with you, _baka_! You're lucky Genzai-_sensei_ isn't here at the moment, or he'd have you kicked out!"

"O-_Oi_," Sanosuke said, amid the pain. "Where is the old man, anyways?"

"Staying at Kaoru's," Megumi snapped, releasing Sanosuke's reddened ear and shoving him into his room. "You will stay there until morning, when I come to get you! If you come out at ALL, I will call the police and have you dragged off!"

Sanosuke held up a hand palm-outwards in submission, using the other to rub his injured ear. "Okay, okay…I'll stay here. Don't need to pull out your soapbox, Fox…"

Megumi was about to slam shut the door, when she noticed that her pet was missing. Flicking her eyes about her shoulders, she confirmed that Snuggles-san had gone.

Grabbing Sanosuke's collar, Megumi said in a deadly voice, "Where is Snuggles."

"Huh?" Sanosuke pretended innocence, but the mischievous glint in his eyes gave him away. "I dunno."

"Where is he, you insufferable idiot!" Megumi shouted, stomping her foot angrily. "I know you have him!"

A small squeak was heard in the silence that followed. It seemed to originate from Sanosuke's gi. Megumi looked the fighter over, before spotting a small lump traveling its way up Sanosuke's shoulder.

"Hey!" Sanosuke cried as Megumi practically tackled him in attempt to retrieve her alien. "Get off me! I'm gonna fall!"

Megumi paid no attention as she scrabbled at Sanosuke's gi, trying to get Snuggles-san. The alien squealed wildly as it raced up and onto Sanosuke's shoulder, popping out from the collar and surfacing on the outside cloth.

"Got you!" Megumi shouted, grabbing at Snuggles-san. The alien evaded her swipe, crawling up Sanosuke's neck and onto his cheek.

"WAAAAH! GET IT OFF ME!" Sanosuke yelled, writhing. His face turned immeasurably red as Snuggles-san slipped and fell back onto his shoulder, again attempting to climb up his neck. Sanosuke made a weird little twitch, his feet flying out from beneath him.

Landing on the floor, Sanosuke continued his freak-out session, writhing and making weird smothered noises.

"S-Sanosuke!" Megumi cried, unsure of what had overcome the man.

"B…B…" Finally, unable to contain himself any longer, Sanosuke bust out laughing. "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! IT—T-T-TICKLES—!"

Megumi stood, astonished, as Sanosuke grabbed at the offending creature. Snuggles-san yelped, caught at last. When Sanosuke's giggles had died, he sat up and handed the confused pet to Megumi.

The lady doctor received her fuzzy orange alien, still staring at Sanosuke like he was one as well.

Itching his neck, as though to get the creepy after-feelings of some odd creature crawling, Sanosuke beamed. "What?"

"I had no idea you were ticklish." Megumi replied, blinking.

"So?" Sanosuke said, shuddering and again rubbing his neck.

Shaking her head, Megumi said, "Never mind. Just…go to bed."

The lady doctor turned to exit the room, placing her hand on the door to shut it. She paused, however, when she heard Sanosuke's voice.

"Hey, Fox…one last thing."

"What?" Megumi said tiredly, practically leaning on the door for support.

Sagara Sanosuke got to his feet, grinning sheepishly. "I'm sorry about your goldfish. If you want, I'll get ya another one."

Megumi found herself blushing, but she attempted to fix that by replying sharply, "And how are you to do that? You're obviously broke."

His shy expression snapped slightly, and Sanosuke grumbled, "'Scuse me for feelin' guilty." Hesitating slightly, Sanosuke then said, "That…Mister Snuggles, or whatever you call it…can I keep it fer the night?"

"No," Megumi replied. "I left Sir Kin with you, and look what happened."

"I swear I won't take off with it!" Sanosuke said pleadingly. "I only left because I felt like I was…" he drifted off, unsure of whether he should go on.

"Like you were what?" Megumi asked, giving him a wary glance.

Sanosuke shoved his hands in his pockets, looking thoughtful and slightly aggravated. "Like I was just bein' a burden or somethin'…I don't really need to be here anymore. I'm just here, irritatin' you and making you mad. I'll leave in the mornin'. Okay, _Kitsune_? Tell your boyfriend I said touché."

He then shut the door in Megumi's face.

Megumi stared, wide-eyed at Sanosuke's bedroom door.

_What was he talking about? _she wondered. _He suddenly became serious, condemned himself, and then told me to… my… boyfriend? I don't have a boyfriend! What's the matter with that Rooster? What's wrong with him!_

Megumi turned on her heel, silencing Snuggles-san when he cheeped in concern. The small creature may not have understood everything that was said; but Snuggles knew enough to understand that both humans were equally upset with one another.

_I'd better put out the light in the front room_, Megumi reminded herself. She turned and entered the sitting room. Just as she was about to put out the lamp, Megumi spotted her faux love note sitting, halfway unfolded, on her desk.

"_Tell your boyfriend I said touché."_

Horror immediately seized Megumi. _Oh…Kami-sama…he thought…the letter was for me! That's why he was so upset when he came in…after…oh my…this isn't…what did he…then why…THIS IS CRAZY!_

She grabbed her note, read it over, and confirmed that it was possible that it could refer to her. Megumi repeatedly shook her head over and over again, wide-eyed. _Then…could it be that Sanosuke was so upset about this letter, because he has feelings for me?_

_IIYA. NUNCA. NON. NYET. MHAI.** NO WAY.**_

Apparently, Megumi didn't think so.

_Shoot_, Megumi thought angrily, _Now I can't use my letter because baka Sanosuke read it! That stupid Rooster ruins everything!_ She crumpled up her note and chucked it into the trash.

…_But he seemed really upset. I wonder, if Sanosuke really did like me in such a way…how would I react? _The thought wasn't as upsetting as the first one. It didn't imply as forcefully the possibility.

But the acceptability of the thought was ruined when another thought came to Megumi's mind. _He's tall, and he has a nice chest. Deep brown eyes, and his sense of humor makes up for his stubbornness…not to mention he's got that deep, sexy voice…_

"_Takani Megumi_!" Megumi hissed, a furious blush arising on her face. "What are you _thinking_?"

_I'm tired_, Megumi convinced herself. _I'm deliriously tired. Everything shall be fine in the morning._ Once Megumi was sure she believed that, she blew out the lamp and left the lounge.

Megumi made it to her bedroom at last, opening her door and finally snuggling down onto her futon. Snuggles-san was placed on a pillow next to Megumi's sleeping place. The orange alien found this comfortable, and fell asleep within minutes.

Megumi soon did the same.

Sanosuke was having pleasant dreams of pummeling the crap out of Megumi's 'boyfriend', thus winning the fair lady's heart and having a five-star snog afterwards; when a sharp cheeping interrupted his sleep.

"Dammit…go away…" Sanosuke growled, turning over on his other side. The cheeping grew louder and louder until it was almost unbearable.

Finally, Sanosuke opened his eyes. "What?" he growled, but then was baffled when he found no one there. Sitting up, Sanosuke looked about, but then understood when he spotted Snuggles-san sitting on the edge of his futon.

"What?" Sanosuke repeated, quite annoyed.

Snuggles-san cheeped frantically, hopping up and down.

"Somethin' wrong with Megumi?"

Snuggles-san nodded hysterically.

Eyes narrowed, Sanosuke got up immediately after seizing the small fluffy being. He then took off out of his room and through the hall, bursting into Megumi's room without pausing to listen or knock.

Apparently, Megumi was having a nightmare of some sort. She was tossing and turning, shivering and crying out in her sleep.

Without hesitation, Sanosuke leapt forth and knelt on the side of her bed, grabbing the lady doctor's shoulders and shaking her slightly. "_Kitsune_! Fox! Wake up, Meg…it's only a bad dream. Wake up."

Megumi hissed, squirming in his grasp like Sanosuke was trying to harm her. Giving Snuggles-san a desperate look, Sanosuke continued to try and calm Megumi.

"Megumi, it's Sano," Sanosuke whispered, lifting Megumi from her futon and leaning her shoulder against his chest. "I'm not going to hurt you. Open your eyes, Fox…"

Megumi whimpered, and Sanosuke felt compelled to wrap his arms around her protectively. "Whatever you're dreamin' about, it's not something I can't protect you from…" he said the next word so quietly that it was almost inaudible. "…_koishii_…"

"Sa…no…" Megumi mumbled, her fits lessening. A few moments passed, but Sanosuke still had his hold on his doctor, waiting patiently as Megumi opened her eyes.

Megumi blinked, confused, and embarrassed to find herself curled up to Sanosuke like a frightened little girl. "S-Sanosuke?"

"Oi, Fox," Sanosuke replied, with a playful smile.

"W-What're you doing?"

Sanosuke's smile widened. "You're little friend here woke up and noticed that you were having some dreams, and came to get me. Lucky for you, ne?"

Pretending like she was the only one who knew how very red her face was, Megumi stammered, "Why are you holding me?"

"'Cuz I couldn't get ya to wake up," Sanosuke replied. Honestly, that was only half his reason. _I wish I didn't have to have reason to hold you…_

"O-oh…um…thank you…" Megumi flushed brighter, shifting slightly in Sanosuke's lap. "C-Could you put me down, now?"

Sanosuke nodded, hoisting the fox doc from his legs and replacing Megumi on the futon. "_Gomen, Kitsune_. Do you feel better?"

"Ah…yes," Megumi said hastily, pulling the collar of her yukata up a bit.

Sanosuke cocked his head curiously. "Wanna talk about your dream?"

_Since when was Sanosuke the expert psychiatrist_! Megumi thought in agitation. "No," she replied softly. "I'm fine, now. Thank you for waking me…" Megumi hesitated, but then said, "Sanosuke…about my…'boyfriend'…"

Immediately looking away from Megumi and standing, Sanosuke said quickly, "If it's an apology ya want, ya got it. Better leave before he comes callin' and sees me in your room…don't wanna upset your '_relationship'_ or anything…"

"Sanosuke, I—" Megumi said desperately, but Sanosuke seemed to be permanently glued atop his soapbox.

"Of course, I understand," Sanosuke growled, looking beside himself. "I understand what it feels like to love someone, _Kitsune_…but the difference between you and me is that I can't be with that person. But it's not your fault I was too _awkward_ and _shy_ to beat your bastard of a boyfriend to you."

Megumi tried to interject once more, in vain. "But—"

Still refusing to look at the doctor, Sanosuke folded his arms and continued as though he hadn't heard her. "So you can go on in life and be perfectly happy with your man—I bet he's some clever, top-notch doctor, _ne_? Or, maybe he's some rich politician? Maybe he's generous, kind, thoughtful, smart, strong, handsome, and rich? Everything I'm not? Well. Hope you're happy, then."

Sanosuke then turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

"S-Sanosuke, wait!" Megumi shouted, recovering from shock, anger, and distress. She scrambled to her feet and took off into the hallway in pursuit of the incensed fighter. Snuggles-san squeaked wildly, attempting to keep up as he scuttled after them.

Megumi caught up with the upset _kenkaya_, and with unmeant violence seized his shoulder and spun him around to face her. Without another thought, Megumi locked eyes with Sanosuke and slapped him harder than she had anyone before, right across the face. Sanosuke's head turned right along with the slap, due to the sheer force.

"Shi—what the Hell was _that_ for?" Sanosuke snarled, covering his reddening cheek with his hand.

"You know very well," Megumi snapped, jabbing her finger into his chest. "Even if I had a boyfriend, presenting me with the pity party that you did wouldn't be very impressing."

A confused look overcame Sanosuke's handsome features. "Huh?"

"You were so obsessed and upset over the notion that I had an admirer that you rushed right into it without even making sure it was true," Megumi replied pointedly.

"You…you mean…you don't have a boyfriend?" Sanosuke said, just as confused as ever.

Megumi rolled her eyes. "That's exactly what I mean, _baka_! Now how upset do you think I am, after hearing you claim you're basically worthless? You say you're not generous, and yet I see you giving your time to help people. You claimed that you're not kind and thoughtful, but there you are, helping Sir Ken save Japan and whatnot. You're…moderately intelligent."

Sanosuke looked at the ceiling.

"LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!" Megumi barked, instantly regaining the Rooster's attention. Clearing her throat, the lady doctor continued. "For the first time ever, Sagara Sanosuke admitted that he isn't strong. That's a complete lie."

Sanosuke blushed slightly, unsure of how to react. Megumi had never so much as smiled at his fighting abilities—it had surprised her before, but never had she openly expressed admiration. Looking up to study Megumi's expression, Sanosuke waited for her to go on; to analyze his next words.

Megumi felt a little boxed. She remained quiet for a few more seconds, before saying, "And I've seen uglier men than the likes of you." She folded her arms, and gave him a stern look when Sanosuke grinned. Though Megumi had tried to say it in the most negative way she could figure, Sanosuke knew she was really saying, 'And you're very handsome.'

Pausing slightly before continuing, Megumi said, "I know you're not the most wealthy man in the world, either, but…" She shrugged, implying the unimportance of the matter.

Trying to regain his dignity and cover his embarrassment, Sanosuke leaned against the wall, smirking in his little way. "So, are you trying to say you've got the hots for me, fox?"

"I said nothing of the sort," Megumi snapped back, attempting to cease the impending blush on her cheeks.

"The color of your face says different," Sanosuke pointed out.

"Why, you—!" Megumi huffed, unsure of how to go on. "I—I—I was just trying to build up your self-esteem, is all."

"C'mon, just say it," Sanosuke coaxed.

"NO!"

"Why?"

"BECAUSE!"

"Are you afraid I'll reject you after egging you on like this?"

"YES!"

Sanosuke cocked his head again, looking slightly hurt. "Do you really think I'm like that, Fox?"

Megumi lost her audaciousness; her voice quieting. "N-No…"

"Then why won't you say it?" Sanosuke asked softly.

"Why won't _you_?" Megumi shot back.

There was a bit of silence as the two people simply glowered at one another, demanding with their daunting stares that one of them tell the other their feelings.

Finally, Sanosuke looked down at the floor in defeat. This surprised Megumi; she was sure she would be the first to surrender. "_Gomen_, Megumi…" he mumbled, scuffing his heel on the floorboards again. "And I…think you're very…I think…really, I, um…I think you're beautiful…"

Megumi's lips twitched into a smile; normally, Sanosuke would use a childish word like 'pretty' to describe something beautiful.

Vixen tendency formed Megumi's words as she crisscrossed her fingers and smirked. "And you're very cute, Sanosuke," she said, suppressing laughter as an offended look crossed Sanosuke's face.

"I—I am not cute!" he said, scowling. "I…I'm nineteen, and beyond bein' cute…!"

"I don't believe you," Megumi said, snickering. "You've still got the dialogue and the big brown eyes of a five-year-old."

Sanosuke looked, indeed, upset. "I…I should…you…rrg…you can't…!" Taking in a deep breath, meant to embolden himself, Sanosuke hissed, "Let's see how cute I am after this!"

Seizing Megumi's shoulder and jerking her to him, Sanosuke instinctively locked lips with the surprised doctor. Wrapping his arms around her, Sanosuke buried his hands in the long strands of raven hair, repeating the contents of his dream.

Megumi, on the other hand, had nearly no idea how to react. No man had ever dared to approach the clever Takani Megumi this way; even evil Kanryuu had lent her space when the chains of opium had imprisoned her. And yet, here was Sagara Sanosuke, embracing her like he owned her already.

Her first reaction would have been to shove him away; Megumi wouldn't have it to let a man impose himself on her like that! Especially a no-name thug who wouldn't have even a last name were it not for the Meiji Restoration!

But Megumi didn't push Sanosuke away. She didn't squirm, fight back, or reprimand him in the slightest little way. Megumi even allowed Sanosuke to litter kisses down the side of her neck. Enveloping him in her arms, she, Takani Megumi, hugged Sanosuke back.

Sanosuke lifted his head to kiss Megumi's lips again, unable to contain his smile as she ran her fingers in his wonton locks of spiky brown hair. "Megumi…" he whispered in his husky voice, holding his fox doc close.

"Sano…" In the pause, Megumi's mind returned to reality. She blinked slightly, looking up at the infatuated man holding her. "Sanosuke, I—"

_**K-KWAAM!**_

They both jumped in fright as a deafening smashing noise was heard; Sanosuke's grip on Megumi's waist tightened in alarm. "What the Hell was that?" he hissed.

"I…I don't know," Megumi whispered anxiously. "It didn't sound so good."

Sanosuke paused, but then let his Fox go. "I'll go check it out. You stay in my room with your alien, and wait for me! If I'm not back in a half hour, or you get scared, go get Kenshin. Okay?"

"Sanosuke!" Megumi yelped, but by then, the fighter had gone. Pausing, Megumi looked about, finding that Snuggles-san was, again, missing. "Snuggles?" Megumi called, turning three-sixty. "Snuggles-san, where are you?"

And then she heard Sanosuke scream.

**_MadiSano: Nyao! Another cliffhanger! Hehehe...I'm starting to make a habit of this. Well, forgive me about the whole alien thing...I'm sticking to the movie, okay? Killing off a few parts to fit my SanoMeg and KK outline, but the whole alien scenario can't be evaded. Oh well. It'll add to the humor! Yay! _**

**_Also, sorry about the HUGE chapter...I couldn't bring myself to chop it up._**

**_Review, please. I need to know how I'm doing, de gozaru yo..._**

**_Ja ne! _**


	7. The chapter that was too hard to name

_**MadiSano: Another long chapter, Beloved. Kudos to the idiot behind the keyboard, ne?**_

CHICKEN LITTLE _(continued)_

"Sanosuke!" Megumi yelped, but by then, the fighter had gone. Pausing, Megumi looked about, finding that Snuggles-san was, again, missing. "Snuggles?" Megumi called, turning three-sixty. "Snuggles-san, where are you?"

And then she heard Sanosuke scream.

_At the Kamiya Dojo…_

Everything was dark, and silent in the spacecraft.

"K-Kenshin…?"

"_Hai_, Miss Kaoru, this unworthy one is here."

"It's very dark."

"Yes, it is."

"………Do you see a lamp or anything we could use to light up the room?"

"No, Miss Kaoru. It's too dark for this one to see."

"Oh, yeah…"

Kaoru was, obviously, quite frightened. She couldn't see anything, smell anything; the only comforting thing about was that she was again holding onto Kenshin's sleeve. Suddenly, the cloth shifted in-between her fingers, and Kenshin began to stand up.

Kaoru followed him quickly, afraid to lose the rurouni in the dark. "Where are we going now?"

"Sessha is going to look for some sort of light."

Kaoru nodded, though Kenshin couldn't see her do so in the dark. _Ohh, Kenshin, please hurry…_ she begged silently, squeezing her eyes shut as she listened to Kenshin rummaging about for a light.

Suddenly, the craft came to life. Lights flickered on everyplace, revealing metallic walls and floors, dotted with solid rivers of green, red, and blue light. Buttons and tubes covered the walls, giving the whole room a very professional and scientific look; a design that neither Kenshin nor Kaoru had ever dreamt of.

"Oh, Kenshin…" Kaoru mumbled, looking about in awe.

Kenshin nodded in agreement to her amazement, uttering a soft, "Oro…"

After a moment more, Kenshin took Kaoru's hand and led her to the back of the room, inspecting a circular indent in the wall that seemed to be some sort of door. Oblivious to Kaoru's blushing, Kenshin attempted to pry apart the door, only to fail miserably.

"Stand back, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin requested, releasing Kaoru's hand. The dojo master stepped to the side as Kenshin drew his reversed blade; in a flash making a powerful strike vertically down the door.

There was a pause, as Kenshin waited for his attack to make effect, but nothing happened. Kaoru and Kenshin exchanged shocked and confused looks, and Kenshin inspected the area thoroughly of where he had struck. Not a mark was made.

"Not even a dent…" Kenshin mumbled in mystification.

"What do we do now?" Kaoru asked softly.

Kenshin scuffled his feet around a bit, trying to see if any of the floor tiles gave in. Or something. Kaoru wasn't really sure of what he was trying to do.

Suddenly, Kenshin's feet slipped and he banged his head on the metallic wall, crying out—you guessed it—"ORO!"

It just so happened Kenshin's slip-and-fall led him to press a certain button next to the door he was trying so vigorously to open. His forehead made direct contact with that large, should-have-been obvious button, causing the door to open.

While Kenshin lie unconscious, Kaoru peeked into the spacecraft's center curiously. She found that the room and halls were very much like the one she and Kenshin were in now, although the new room contained some new things, too.

A map of a bunch of stars and smaller stars (Kaoru had no idea there were, indeed, so many planets in that exact order, so to her it seemed like some sort of pretty design) covered the front wall, and sky-bound windows opened up to the true sky above.

"This is crazy," Kaoru mumbled, taking a few steps into the large room. She jumped in fright when the door shut right behind her.

Screaming, Kaoru turned around and launched herself at the firmly closed gate. "K-KENSHIN!" she cried, hoping for assistance.

The rurouni awoke to his lady's call, guessing what had happened and quickly standing. He pressed the correct button, causing the door to open with a whooshing noise. Kaoru, unprepared for the sudden release, fell forwards into Kenshin's chest.

"Oof—!" Blushing, Kaoru reeled backwards, muttering apologies.

"_Gomen nasai_ for scaring you, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin chirped, oblivious as usual to Kaoru's scarlet cheeks.

Wandering about the newly discovered room, Kenshin inspected the odd creatures captured in jars on the wall, finding one to be empty. Kaoru kept close to the wanderer, afraid to be separated again.

"I think we should go back and warn Megumi-san and Sanosuke about this," Kaoru voiced, hoping Kenshin would actually hear her say, 'Kenshin, I hate this place and I want to go home. Take me home or I'll clobber you so violently there'll be two and a half of you when I'm done.'

Of course, Kenshin heard nothing of this except for what was orally spoken. "We'll be fine, Miss Kaoru…Sano and Megumi-dono also. What's the worst that could happen?"

Kaoru completely lost it at this point, seizing Kenshin's collar and shaking him angrily. "STOP IT! STOP IT! YOU CAN'T BE KENSHIN, YOU IMPOSTER! KENSHIN WOULD NEVER MAKE ME GO THROUGH THIS ANXIETY WITH SUCH A CAREFREE ATTITUDE! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH KENSHIN!"

"Ororororooooo…" Kenshin replied, spinney-eyed again. "M-Miss Kaoru, Sessha is Kenshin, _de gozaru_…"

Kaoru slammed the dizzy rurouni into a nearby wall, hissing, "Prove it."

"Oro…" thinking back, Kenshin asked, "Does Kaoru-dono remember the time that this one accidentally walked in on her taking a bath?"

Flushing instantly, Kaoru released Kenshin, mumbling, "I thought you'd forgotten about that."

Kenshin would have said, 'That would be difficult, de gozaru yo,' but he decided that would be a wrong move and he'd have to suffer Kaoru's rock-solid fist. Instead, he replied, "This unworthy one thinks it may be time to move on, de gozaru."

Nodding silently, Kaoru once more tailed Kenshin about the room while the rurouni investigated the odd contraptions of the ship.

_At the Oguni Clinic…_

A deafening noise was heard, and Megumi was thrown of her feet to the floor. The earth shook, and Megumi curled up into a defensive position, crying out in terror. Loud crashes and the screaming of wind invaded Megumi's ears, and she clapped her hands over them to lessen the sound. It barely worked, and it seemed like seconds but also an entire hour before the chaos had ended.

Megumi lie in terror, undamaged but scared like she had never been before.

"Sanosuke…" Megumi whispered, frightened. She wasn't sure what to do. Megumi was all alone, by herself, terrified and unsure of what had happened. Megumi had never wanted someone's company before so much in her entire life. Technically Sanosuke.

Megumi lie frozen, unsure of whether to pursue her patient or run for help. Surely, one of the neighbors would notice this and come! But utter silence filled the office and nothing came from outside.

_Ohh, I HATE HIM!_ thought Megumi untruthfully, crawling to her feet. She sprinted off shakily in the direction that she had seen Sanosuke take off, looking for him desperately. _Stupid man…always getting himself into trouble! Why couldn't Sir Ken be the brainless gangster and Sanosuke be the warmhearted wanderer?_

That thought brought disturbing images of Sanosuke with long red hair, and x-shaped scar, and a reversed blade sword—wearing a pink _gi_ and a white hakama. Accompanying that came Kenshin in a white _aku_-emblazoned jacket, pastel pants, bare-chested with his stomach wrapped in bandages. A red bandanna encircled Kenshin's forehead.

Megumi almost keeled over in horror, promising herself never to think like that again. "Sanosuke!" she called, running to the other side of the clinic, stopping dead in her tracks.

The whole back section of the Oguni Clinic had been destroyed. Not a trace was left; the edges of the remaining wall were blackened and rugged like some giant rodent had nibbled them away. The buildings and trees behind her office had been crushed and charred, and hunks of metal, wood, and earth lie about like bodies in a battlefield.

"Ohh, _Kami-sama_," Megumi gasped, unsure of what to do.

What scared Megumi greatly was what she found amid the rubble and charred blocks of wood.

Megumi gingerly picked up a bloodstained bandanna, trembling in fear of the possible explanations whirling through her mind. It looked exactly like her Rooster's headband, it felt like her Rooster's headband, and—sure enough, Megumi realized after double-checking—it even smelled like her Rooster's headband.

But it couldn't be her Rooster's headband.

Because Sanosuke wouldn't leave her like that.

…Would he?

"Sanosuke!" Megumi shouted in a hollow, firm voice. She wasn't to believe that stupid Rooster would die that easily! "Sanosuke! Where are you? Sano!"

And then she heard a noise…a very strange, yet familiar sound. Something that sounded along the lines of this: "Uuuuhhhhnnnuuhhhhghh…"

"Sano?" Megumi cried, whirling around to catch sight of Sagara at last.

The fighter had obviously just regained consciousness, trapped beneath a layer of shards of wood and stone. He lifted himself like a cat arising from its nap, but fell back to the earth with a not-so-catlike hiss, hiding his face in his arms like a little boy trying to fall asleep.

"S-Sano…" Megumi knelt down beside him, slowly and with careful hands and eyes removing the rubble confining Sanosuke. It was steady work to lift each shard one piece at a time, and it was a few minutes before Sanosuke had the weight completely lifted from his back.

Megumi went to brush against Sanosuke's shoulder, but immediately withdrew when he winced visibly at her touch, uttering a low groan. Under further investigation, the doctor was appalled to discover that some of the wooden blocks had splintered into Sanosuke's arms and back. Thin streams of dark blood trickled down his skin, making Sanosuke's usually bronzed skin seem pale.

"Oh, Sano…" Megumi muttered, stroking his cheek.

The injured man opened his eyes a bit. "M-My back hurts…"

"It very well should, by the looks of it," Megumi replied. Pausing, Megumi looked up and about. "I…I'm not sure how I'll get you back to your room…I need to get those splinters out of you, before you become infected. Not to mention, I haven't even seen what the other side of you looks like."

"I'll be fine," Sano announced softly, making to get up again.

Megumi stopped him, putting her hands on his undamaged forearms. "No, Sanosuke. If you move, you'll only make it worse. I…I'll have to run and get a stretcher or something to pull you on."

Sanosuke made a doubtful noise, shifting slightly and wincing.

Megumi stood in a daze, but then turned and fled back into the rest of the intact clinic. Her eyes filled with tears; she was frightened. Her protector was now the one in need of protection, and Megumi wasn't confidant that she would succeed.

Not to mention that alien was still missing.

_At the Kamiya Dojo…_

_**KSSH-THUCK. **_

"What was that?" Kaoru hissed, grabbing Kenshin's shoulder and looking about frantically.

Kenshin stood stock-still, muttering, "This one doesn't know."

"M-Maybe we should leave?" Kaoru suggested.

Pausing, it was a moment before Kenshin nodded. "_Hai_. Let's go, Miss Kaoru."

Kaoru practically dragged Kenshin to the door, relieved that the wanderer had finally decided to go back. After a moment of examination, Kaoru decided on a button to push, hoping that it would open the door from this side.

Seconds before Kaoru's forefinger touched the button, however, the door unbolted by itself, opening to reveal…

"O-ORO!" Kenshin yelped, grabbing Kaoru and leaping backwards in alarm.

Two metallic beings stood in the doorway, buzzing angrily at the sight of the two human invaders. In their claw-like hands, they held a bunch of octagonal pieces, which happened to be the sections of the sky Sano had talked about.

Kenshin drew his sword, holding it abroad in a defensive position to protect himself and Kaoru.

"A-ah," Kenshin stammered. "This one's name is Himura Kenshin, and…and he suggests you let us leave…we have not touched or damaged or stolen anything of yours, and—"

ZAP.

"ORO!"

Kenshin had leapt aside just in time to dodge a beam of light issuing from the alien. Kaoru held on so tight to Kenshin's arm that the wanderer was sure no blood was coursing through it.

The aliens advanced, and Kenshin muttered to Kaoru, "Kaoru-_dono_, this one will hold off these…creatures, and you must find a way to open the door for us. _Hai_?"

"O-okay," Kaoru said softly.

Kenshin leapt forward, slashing with his god-like speed at the metallic creatures. They hissed and spat, lashing out at Kenshin angrily. Kaoru ran around them and to the door, slamming on the buttons she found there, and attempting to open the door.

One of the creatures shrieked wildly when it spotted her, turning about to attack Kaoru. She screamed, punching a button with frightened force.

The whole ship began to shake, and when Kaoru glanced out the nearby windowpane, she found that the spacecraft was taking flight.

"AAAH! KENSHIN!" she screamed, slamming on buttons again. "WE'RE FLYING!"

Kenshin sweat-dropped, dodging another strike from a creature.

Kaoru pressed a pretty orange and red button, unaware of its purpose. Suddenly, the floor around her feet melted away. Kaoru screamed and fell through, dropping out of the ship and towards the ground below.

"Miss Kaoru!" Kenshin yelled, jumping after her just before the hole closed up. The angry cries of the aliens were the last thing they heard as Kenshin caught Kaoru in mid-air, landing softly, and tumbling to the grass.

Before either could say anything, they were horrified to see the ship collide with the sky panels above, and explode. Oddly enough, instead of a booming crack, the noise of the explosion wasn't deafening at all. It was loud, but soft compared to the clatter Kenshin expected.

_**KA-KWAAM!**_

The flashes of blinding light and the noise predictably awoke the neighbors, for they were coming out of their homes to watch the remarkable sight. As they watched, the octagonal pieces of fallen sky flew up out of the smoke, and like puzzle pieces, sunk into their rightful places.

"Maybe it was a meteor," said one person.

"I doubt that," chided another.

Suddenly, one cried, "Hey, look at that!"

"It looks like it's melting away. But there's that huge chunk of metal!"

"It's falling!"

"It's going to land right in the middle of town!"

"Someone, call the police, and hurry!"

"Yeah!"

Indeed, though the ship was dissipating into nothingness, a limb of the ship was rocketing to the ground, in the center of Tokyo. Kenshin nodded to Kaoru, and without even thinking of Yahiko (who weirdly was still asleep), shot off in the direction of the falling piece.

Because it was heading right for the Oguni Clinic.

By the time Kenshin and Kaoru got to the doctor's office, they were dismayed to find that they were too late. The back of the Oguni clinic had been crushed, and everything behind it had been obliterated.

"Stay here, Miss Kaoru." Kenshin said firmly, and shot inside in search of Megumi and Sanosuke. Kaoru waited, afraid of the results of when Kenshin returned.

Kenshin made his way through the Oguni Clinic, scanning every corner with his unavoidable violet eyes. He called out, "Miss Megumi? Sano? Are you…here?" He wanted to say, 'Are you alive?' but that seemed a bit…inappropriate for some reason.

Kenshin froze at the sound of thudding feet, and yelped when he found himself being tackled in a frightened embrace. Kenshin looked up to find Megumi, tears in her eyes, hugging the little man like he was the last person alive.

"Sir Ken!" she sobbed.

"M-Miss Megumi?" Kenshin stammered, patting Megumi on the shoulder. He was so relieved to find that Megumi was alive. But where was Sanosuke? Kenshin, after letting Megumi's sobs die down a bit, asked her the same question.

Wiping her eyes with her sleeve and letting Kenshin go, Megumi stammered, "I…he's…over…here." She motioned for him to follow. "He's hurt, and I don't know what to do. I am afraid to move him…his back is injured and he refuses to move."

"Take me there," Kenshin asked, and Megumi began walking down the hall. The lady doctor led Kenshin to the back of the Clinic, where Kenshin was horrified to find the damage of the meteor-like section of the ship. The whole half of the Clinic was destroyed, and everything within a half mile of the impact was demolished. It was amazing that the clinic didn't collapse.

Megumi motioned for Kenshin to follow her, and she showed the wanderer his injured friend. Sanosuke had recently fallen unconscious, unmoving, and silent.

Megumi let out a little sob. She was so embarrassed for crying. _Takani Megumi never shows her emotions! I am not weak!_ she insisted to herself angrily.

Then Kenshin turned to face Megumi with sad eyes. "Miss Megumi, I will help you get Sano to a safer place. Go and get your supplies, and you can treat Sano at the dojo."

"But how will—?"

Kenshin smiled knowingly. "I will take care of it, that I will. You can trust Sessha. No?" He gave her a questioning smile.

Sobbing softly again, Megumi ran her fingers though her bangs. She tried not to smile back. "Yes, Sir Ken…be careful…"

Megumi turned to hurry off for her materials, but her face flushed crimson when she heard a low moan from Sanosuke that sounded suspiciously like her name. His voice had an injured, begging tone to it; as though Sanosuke knew even in his sleep, that Megumi was leaving him for a bit.

Turning around to peer back at the wanderer and his unconscious friend, Megumi was embarrassed to find Kenshin glancing back at her with a knowing smile.

_That man_, thought Megumi, red-faced still as she continued to her office,_ is really bad for the heart._

Time was Megumi's opponent now.

**_MadiSano: And I'm sorry to say that Sanosuke does not survive his injuries, gets tuberculosis (SP?)and croaks like that evil Sano-stealing witch named Magdalia in the anime. I seriously have a hate charge for that poor excuse for a human being._**

**_I'm joking. Sano doesn't die. _**

**_Anyways, I believe the next chapter shall be the last. I'm pretty sure. I guess you'll have to wait and see, ne? _**

**_R_****_ead and review, my friends, and make my life worth living--I, I mean, make my stories worth typing. Not that I'd kill myself or anything if you didn't review...(nudge, nudge)..._**

**_Lol. I'm twisted. (Runs into a wall.) See ya later--Ja ne! Oro..._**


	8. The Ending That Is Not An Ending

_**MadiSano: Here's the last chapter. Sorry for making you wait! Please read, and review ONLY if you liked it. Flames haunt me. I'm a very sensitive person, you see.**_

CHICKEN LITTLE _(continued)_

Megumi turned to hurry off for her materials, but her face flushed crimson when she heard a low moan from Sanosuke that sounded suspiciously like her name. His voice had an injured, begging tone to it; as though Sanosuke knew even in his sleep, that Megumi was leaving him for a bit.

Turning around to peer back at the wanderer and his unconscious friend, Megumi was embarrassed to find Kenshin glancing back at her with a knowing smile.

_That man,_ thought Megumi, red-faced still as she continued to her office_, is really bad for the heart_

Time was Megumi's opponent now.

Two Nights Later, At the Kamiya Dojo…

Loud breathing woke him up. Opening his soft chocolate eyes, Sanosuke immediately squeezed them shut again, mumbling a few wonton curses. "Ooh, that frickin' hurts," was the most polite thing that came from his lips.

He hurt all over. His back, chest, shoulders, legs, arms, and head…everywhere was a net of pain.

But, when Sano began to search beyond the pain, he found that a light heaviness was resting near his side, weighing down that part of his futon. Sanosuke growled in determination, opening his eyes again to find out what it was.

Sanosuke felt a smile creep on his lips. Megumi had obviously fallen asleep, waiting for him to wake up. She now lay half on Sanosuke's futon, her head resting near his side.

Remembering the frightened and nervous confession Megumi had given to him, and he to her; Sanosuke's eyes closed slightly. He felt better, knowing Megumi was with him and intended to be.

His bandaged hand floated down, blind to pain, to stroke Megumi's cheek. _She saved me_, Sanosuke thought heavily_. I was supposed to protect her, but instead I nearly got myself killed right after telling her how I…that she…_

"Dammit." He muttered_. I didn't tell her-! I only told her that I thought she was beautiful…I need to…man, why did Kami give me the mind he did? Why didn't he give it to SAITOU, or someone? _

Then Megumi would have fallen in love with Saitou, a voice pointed out in his head. Immediate "don't-think-like-that-in-fear-of-puking-thine-guts-out" feelings pounced on Sanosuke, so he dropped the thought.

Returning to being 'serious Sano,' Sanosuke thought, _I came so close to totally destroying her…Megumi wouldn't have even told me what she did, or let me kiss her, or…or...anything if she didn't…love me a little. Even a…little…aw, Megumi…I… _

Sanosuke sighed. "I'm sorry I'm such an idiot," he whispered, swallowing in defeat and sorrow, closing his eyes.

Suddenly, Sano felt pleasantly familiar lips upon his own. He reopened his eyes to find Megumi had awoken. She looked utterly beautiful, even if it was late at night and she had tears welling in her eyes.

"Megumi…" Sanosuke began, afraid she was going to cry. "I…I'm sorry, ah…"

The lady doctor smothered her tears, embarrassed again for being caught with emotion. "S-Sanosuke…"

Feeling suddenly forward, Sano grabbed her elbow and looked up determinedly at Megumi. "I got somethin' to tell you, before anything else happens. Before I screw it up again."

"H-Huh?" Megumi stammered, confused. "What are you talking about, Sano? You-"

Sanosuke was very aware of the steady shade of pink his face was adopting, but he was resolute to say what he had to. "Megumi…" he said, his voice dangerously close to shaking or cracking.

A look of surprise crossed Megumi's features; Sanosuke had actually called her by her real name. There was only one meaning to that: Sano had something to say that he was either frightened or angry about. Megumi knew he couldn't be angry, but what force on earth would cause Sanosuke to be scared of _her_?

_You know what you're doing?_ said a voice in Sano._ You're committing yourself to Megumi if you tell her this. It means you have to change. If she accepts you, you're gonna have to get a job, and start being responsible. You're gonna actually have to use your brain every single flipping day of your miserable little life._

Something in Sano cringed, but he made up his mind immediately. _I know_, he decided._ And I guess I don't got a choice, 'cuz this feeling isn't going to go away easily…or at all. Even if Megumi tells me she doesn't love me, it's better that I tell her straight out, and walk away without the torture of wonderin' what would have happened if I had gone through with it._

"Megumi," Sanosuke said again.

Megumi was almost sure of what Sano was trying to tell her, but she wouldn't believe herself until he said it. Even then, Megumi would have trouble accepting that he had actually said such a phrase.

_Please,_ she begged silently,_ tell me or I'll lose my mind, Sano. I know this is crazy and nearly impossible, but I want you to tell me…I want you to tell me that you…that you…_

"Oh God," Sano stammered suddenly, blushing furiously. "Fox… Kitsune… Megitsune… Megumi-_damnation_, _woman_! I don't know how you can be so-so _confusing_ and _smart_ and _irritating_ and _beautiful_ and downright _bitchy_-but for some _twisted reason_ I damned straight LOVE YOU for it! Awright?"

Sanosuke took a breath, managing to keep a straight face. He looked at Megumi, but then looked right away because he felt that if he did, he would probably pass out.

His words weren't exactly as Megumi had hoped them to be, but they were every bit as special. Megumi felt her tears return, but this time she didn't care.

"Sano," she sobbed, forgetting herself and embracing the shocked man tightly.

He tensed up underneath her, and in a rather agonized voice, he said, "Fox, I'm thrilled at your affections, but you're slightly _killing_ me."

"Ohh," Megumi stuttered, pulling away in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I…you're not…I mean, I…"

_Answer him,_ she demanded of herself._ Tell him. RIGHT. NOW._

For once, Megumi listened to that little voice, exactly to what it said. "Sanosuke, I love you," she said softly. "I love you, too…I'm sorry…for not telli-"

Her apologies were cut off as Sanosuke's grip on her elbow turned into him embracing her and pulling her on top of him. A stinging pain shot through Sanosuke's spine, but he felt none of it as he kissed his Fox with everything he had.

Fireflies flickered outside the Kamiya Kasshin Dojo, dancing around the sleeping flowers of the night. A tall, transparent figure of a man stood outside Sanosuke's window, lacking feet. His midnight hair swayed in a ghostly fashion as he turned away to look out into the night sky, his red bandanna fluttering. The formal uniform that the man donned seemed to shine magically in the pool of moonlight, the katana at his side moving gracefully along with him.

The spirit smiled, and disappeared in shards of scattered light.

Two Months Later, at the Oguni Clinic…

Kaoru and Megumi sat, drinking tea in the sitting room of the clinic. They listened to the noises of the repair team working on the roof of the Oguni Clinic. Sanosuke, Kenshin, and a few of Sano's friends were busy fixing the destroyed sections of the office, and had succeeded in completing everything up until the roof.

A loud shout interrupted Megumi and Kaoru's conversation, sending them both into fits of giggles.

"That would be Sano," Kaoru observed, looking up at the ceiling smilingly.

"Hopefully Sir Ken can keep him under control," Megumi said, a grin crossing her scarlet lips, as well. "I certainly have a time taming the baka Rooster."

Kaoru shook her head, amused. "You know he'd do anything for you."

"Except give up fighting," Megumi said teasingly.

"Ohh, don't be like that," Kaoru laughed, and Megumi smiled. Kaoru looked out the window, and remarked, "It's pretty outside today…why don't we sit outside instead?"

Megumi agreed, and they took their tea outside.

Upon setting up their drinks, Megumi and Kaoru observed the men working furiously on the building.

Sanosuke smirked at Megumi when he saw her, yelling, "Oi, Fox! Didja come outside to check us out while we're slavin' away at your broken dollhouse?"

"Dollhouse, indeed," Megumi snorted in reply. "That explains why men like you like to visit."

Laughing at the irritated look on Sano's face, Megumi smiled sweetly at him before turning back to Kaoru. Even though her teasing sprees had failed to die away, Sano and Megumi loved one another all the more.

Kenshin, also, had recently told Kaoru of his feelings. The poor wanderer had worse a time telling Kaoru than Sano did Megumi. Of course, Kaoru burst into tears and practically drowned Kenshin when she tackled him in embrace. The only difference between the two couples was that Kenshin had asked Kaoru to be his wife directly after. Kaoru's answer was obvious.

Megumi smirked as Kaoru began to talk about Kenshin, like he wasn't also working on the roof and couldn't hear them. "Kenshin and I have been working a bit on the dojo, too. It's pretty worn out, and there are a few floorboards that needed replacing. But Kenshin…"

And she went on for about a half hour. It was unknown of how Kaoru could do such a thing, but even more amazing of how Megumi paid attention to her every word.

Once Kaoru had stopped talking, Megumi took a sip of her tea. She then said, "Sano and I don't have any serious plans of late, but I've got the main plan down."

Sanosuke, who was working near the edge of the roof, paid keen attention when he heard this. Megumi had said nothing of a 'main plan' to him.

"Oh?" Kaoru asked, smiling. They both knew Sano was listening.

"Mm-hmm," Megumi said seriously, though a mischievous smile was evident in her eyes. "In about a half year, Sanosuke will marry me, buy me a big house on the shore of the sea with twenty rooms, and he'll begin his own successful business, and build me a new, nice big building for my clinic, pay off his tab at the Akabeko, and to you…and eventually we'll have about fifteen kids altogether."

****

KSH-SMASH!

"WE'RE GONNA **_WHAT_**?"

"ORO! S-SANO!"

Kenshin was hanging desperately onto Sanosuke, who had fallen off the roof and was now dangling off the edge. Everyone began laughing hysterically at the stricken looked on Sano's face, as he scrambled back onto the safety of the building.

Putting a hand over his heart, checking to see whether or not it was still beating, Sanosuke tried to hide his embarrassment. However, he couldn't help but grin sheepishly as everyone continued to chuckle.

"Fifteen kids?" he said to Megumi, who was just recovering from her laughter. "I'd bet you'd like that, huh, Fox?"

Megumi smirked/sneered right back at Sano. "Sure, Rooster."

His confidant expression slipped slightly at the serious gaze Megumi directed at him. Sanosuke scowled slightly, holding up his finger for emphasis. "I'll give you one, okay?"

"Three," Megumi argued, smiling as she sipped her tea again.

"Two!" Sano barked.

Megumi complicated things. "Four, then."

"Two, and that's my final answer," Sanosuke said stubbornly, folding his arms.

Megumi grinned again, and Sano could have sworn on Captain Sagara's grave that she sprouted fox ears and a tail. "We can't have two, because that's how much _Kaoru_ wants."

Both Kenshin and Kaoru flushed a perfect shade of crimson, stammering nonsense. Sanosuke and Megumi began to snicker at their shy friends, knowing very well that Kaoru would love a baby or two. (As long as they didn't turn out like Yahiko.)

"Oi, then Kenshin Jr. can marry the Little Foxy," Sano joked. "Me an' Kenshin'll be brothers, ne?"

"I'd like a daughter," Megumi said truthfully.

Sanosuke rolled his eyes. "She'd be _just_ _like_ you."

"Either that, or she'll get your mean temper and go about causing chaos like a certain Rooster I know," Megumi replied dryly. "We'd have to name her something so people will know she's yours and they'll keep their distance."

Sanosuke grinned, swinging his legs over the edge of the roof. "I kinda like the name Seiko."

"Seiko?" Megumi asked. "I don't mind it, but maybe we should name-"

Kaoru interrupted. "I like Kenji!"

"Kenji?" Megumi said, confused.

The swords teacher blushed, explaining, "For my…for a boy. For me and Kenshin."

"Kenji? Kenshin? Kaoru?" Sanosuke said, laughing. "Sounds kinda goofy, Jou-Chan!"

"No one asked you, Bird Head!" Kaoru barked, her temper flaring.

Sanosuke stood in amusement, directing his gaze at Kenshin. The wanderer was looking out happily into the blue sky. Sano looked out as well, smiling as well. Ever since the destruction of the clinic, all had been well. Not a single piece of falling sky, not a sign of odd activity.

Everything was dreamily peaceful.

Stretching, Sano turned about to continue his work on the roof. Kenshin woke up from his thoughts seconds after, turning to assist Sano in securing a roof beam.

The fighter froze, his eyes locked on what he found hiding beneath the rafter. A chill crept up his spine as he inspected the evilly familiar creature sitting there, looking at him.

"Chee!" the orange ball of fluff previously known as Snuggles-san chirped cheerfully.

Oh…NO! NO! NO! NO! Sanosuke's thoughts screamed, and before he could think twice, he lifted his leg and stepped on Snuggles-san. There was a small squishing noise, and all was silent.

"Sano?" Kenshin asked, confused by Sanosuke's actions. He had not seen the intruding alien. "Is everything all right?"

"Y-Yeah!" Sano said, relieved to find nothing but an orange spot remained on the wood of the rafter. "Everything's fine, Kenshin."

Nodding, Kenshin smiled.

_In the name of God, Megumi is NEVER allowed to have pets,_ Sanosuke resolved_. NEVER. The next one might turn out to be some 'sweet, harmless,' fire-breathing dragon!_

Lifting the beam with his inhuman strength, Sanosuke stole a fond glance in Megumi's direction. Though they didn't meet eyes, Sano felt her warm gaze return the affection. It was just there.

"Thanks, Meg," Sanosuke muttered softly, with another smile.

Now comfortably absorbed in his work, Sanosuke was much too busy to notice the small, squished blob twitch slightly. Just as Sano turned his back, there was a small _pop! _and a furry object appeared from the orange puddle.

It giggled impishly, casting a glance at the oblivious kenkaya, and then scuttled away into the depths of rubble.

Kenshin thought he had saw something move out of the corner of his eye, but then smiled. "It must have been my imagination, de gozaru yo."

END

****

MadiSano: Yaay! I'm finished! I hope the ending wasn't too sappy…I wasn't sure what to do. Overall, I though the whole sky falling thing was cute, and the SanoMeg moments were decent, but I think I wrinkled my story with the whole alien thing. Just the slightest little A LOT.

Ah, well. I can be weird if I please! …or at least, I hope I can.

All credit to God alone, even if my story's kooky and has a few language impediments! Arigatou Jesus for my gifts:P

Please review, and make your reviews as long as you want. Unless they're mean reviews, because then I'll just get irritated and…EMAIL you. (Dum, dum, dum!) I hate flames of any sort, but helpful criticism is welcome. Ms. Demeanor and her chums are NOT allowed to review, because they're very mean to my insanity.

For those of you who want more serious SanoMeg, I'm making a new fanfic that I plan on calling Revolution & Restoration. It's an action/adventure/romance story, with the pairings of Sanosuke x Megumi and Kenshin x Kaoru. I should post it soon! This fanfic, I think, will be the best of my works so far. Positively, it will not be as weird as Chicken Little. Thank God, ne?

If you haven't already, you can read my story called It's Gonna Rain! It's a SanoMeg oneshot songfic about Sano's return to China. I thought it was pretty cute, and so do my recent reviewers! Yatta! (Feels special!)

Well, love ya and see ya! Ja ne!


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